Almost Tangible
by KittyKatz
Summary: breathing life into death is a difficult task reserved to the most pinnacle emotion left to humankind. a lonely mischevious ghost reignites the flicker of life in a boy who in turn rekindles her own flame in a timeless tale of faith, betrayal and laughter
1. HouseGuests

Disclaimer: Only gonna say it once: me no own Inuyasha.

Ok, sry I'm not updating my other story, I ran outa fire. But I'm trying to finish the Chappie! I swear! Anyway, just got a random idea while practicing piano one day I decided to give it a shot, I hope u like it

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Almost Tangible 

By Kitty

Life and Death are no phenomena; Life will Die and cultivate new Life again. This cycle has no mystery, no allure. But if in Death you find reason to Live, then I pray for you the miracle, Love, to surpass the Laws that bind the Earth and resurrect your Inner Strength.

XXX

_Either up there, or down there, decisions, decisions, oh, what's a poor little girl to do? Should I make a try to Heaven? Or should I visit Hell? Quite frankly, I like it here thank you very much. Some call it Limbo. I like to call it plain old earth. Only, I'm not TECHNICALLY on earth… and for those knuckle heads who couldn't figure it out, I'm dead._

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Chappie 1: Houseguests

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The heavy door creaked open to show a small group of children fearfully peeking into the old house. It was a large house, one whose worth should well have been over millions of dollars. It was seven thousand. Some muffled arguing and soft shoving brought the first tiny foot to touch the gleaming wooden floor of the foyer. Silence. Tentatively, more feet pattered into the room, though, even with the shuffling, eerie silence still permeated from the walls, the ceiling, and the dark shadows within. The house felt like a vacuum that threatened to pull the air out from their small, rasping lungs as they tip-toed non too quietly through the house. A pair of eyes (had she a body) opened and she fluttered down to meet her guests. One, two, three, four, five; five little kids, one girl and four boys huddled together, trembling, in her living room. She shook her head, air bending the faint light so slightly that it wasn't noticeable, even to the sharpest of eyes. 'So,' she asked herself, 'what should I do about my uninvited guests?' 

A sudden unnatural breeze stirred the inside of the room. Shadows flickered in candlelight that wasn't there. Pale faces glanced at each other and heartbeats drummed through thin rib cages. The children tittered excitedly for a single startled moment then held their breaths, heads whipping to and fro, all hoping to, yet dreading to, catch sight of the apparition said to be there. This is it! It must be it!

"Rooow." A sound burst from the far corner. The children screamed and fled, little heads bobbing in the soft glow of the flashlight. Thundering footsteps careened out the door, closing it shut with a mighty slam.

Kagome looked at her living friend, 'Buyo! Was that necessary?' The large cat didn't respond, seemingly unaware his roommate had said anything at all, and stretched his back before lazily leaving the room in his slow, wagging gate. Kagome sighed, 'that fat cat!' she thought. Leaving the room, she heard a strange noise. A coughing, wet sound; one she barely remembered as the sound of crying. Quickly locating the whereabouts of the resonance, she lightly flew to the side of a little boy, perhaps eight years old, sobbing and clutching his knee. Kagome's eyes softened upon the entering the scene, the poor kid. Kagome gently hovered next to the child for a moment, watching blood slowly ooze from his skin and drip onto her carefully looked after carpet. This will not do. Pooling together some not-so-often-used power, she knelt down next to the boy and reached out to touch the scraped knee. He froze in shock for a moment, eyes growing wide when he saw the faint pink glow beside him and the chilly feeling on his injured limb. Scared witless, he watched as, slowly, a scab formed, at ten times the rate a normal one would. Startled, he stared again at the small glow, this time, looking into another surprised face.

Kagome hovered transfixed; those eyes, that warm brown hue, the perfect almond shape, those were her mother's eyes; they were her grandmother's eyes. A giggling baby who liked to tug at her hair. An annoying brat who'd always tattle on his older sister for the smallest things. A child who had to watch a sister he barely knew, yet loved so dearly, be lowered into the cold dark ground. Recollections and memories flowed through her mind, and then slowly, a name surfaced.

"S-Souta?" the boy heard a soft whispery voice that sounded like a faint summer breeze. But the tone, the warm, cheerful tenor struck a familiar chord in his spry little body. And… how does she know my name? Then, quick as a blink, the faint figure disappeared, leading the boy to wonder whether or not she was there in the first place. But the scab on his knee was proof enough. The boy got up and began feeling for a way out, suddenly desperate to get out of the cold haunted mansion. A faint light led him to the open door leading to the driveway. But, hadn't his friends closed it? Just inside the gate, Souta looked up one last time at the mysterious house before hightailing it back home, to the shrine just a few blocks away.

Her eyes followed the child's flight down the street. Her heart murmured a silent prayer and blessing to whomever's cold heart controlled Fate's cruel path to watch over the boy she called brother in a life from which she was absent and taken from far too early.

XXX

A slick Mercedes hastened to a halt outside the iron gates of a large mansion. Well, actually, it's a bit small for a mansion, but too big to be called a house. Inside the gates, a colorful yard full of trees greeted the new owners, a lawn, pruned to perfection, ran up to the U-shaped driveway. The car full of white heads peeked up at the house they soon would call home. The only dark haired person in the car excitedly walked up to the front door, closely tailed by her three white haired companions.

"It's magnificent!" she exclaimed.

"Of course," the eldest of the silver haired, amber eyed males said, "I picked it."

"…" shorter and younger, the other two fanged tooth critters said nothing, both looking bored and unenthusiastic. The two young brothers stood stiffly next to the happy couple, both raising their hackles, ready to dash into the house to lay claim on rooms.

"Well then, let's go inside and figure out where to put things," Izayoi exclaimed, unintentionally commencing the latest bout of sibling rivalry. Today's event was to capture the best room in the house. Racers ready? Get set, GO!

XXX

Kagome was startled by the sudden noise. The oaken door slammed open and two charging boys came hurtling into her house. Unable to move from shock and barely registering the sudden entrance, she froze as the one of the two boys ran through her body and watched as the pair of lightning fast demons thunder upstairs and began opening and closing doors to the bedrooms. From the front door, a low warning growl hollered after them, saying that the master bedroom was reserved. Mentally, Kagome made sure the door to her favorite room was locked.

"Damn it Sesshomaru! I called this room!" Inuyasha exclaimed, trying to shove his older brother out of the way.

"Humph, this Sesshomaru has already secured this chamber as a sleeping quarters and you, my filthy half brother, will NOT challenge my claim," the low voice said in reply, sending shivers up Kagome's ghostly spine and making her rub her ears.

"Damn you!" the younger voice growled. There was some stomping before rattling and agitated and rude remarks began to burst from the doorway of Kagome's favorite room. "Damn it! Why wont this beep door open!" Kagome floated next to the hot headed hanyou, worry lines creasing her forehead as she watched her new, unwelcome houseguests seemingly tear through her carefully looked after home.

XXX

Meanwhile, still at the doorway, Izayoi and her husband peered into the house in confusion. The two brothers apparently missed the strange occupants of the house. Tables, coaches, stands, display cases and a variety of other furniture filled the building. And, considering how long the house had supposedly been empty, there was, amazingly, not even the thinnest layer of dust on the floor. Inutaishu, Izayoi's male companion, frowned, "What the fu-"

Izayoi whipped her finger up to her lover's lips, nearly skewering his nostril by accident, "Honey," she said warningly, "you've already caused enough damage to Inuyasha's vocabulary."

The white-haired demon harrumphed and gently pulled Izayoi's finger off his face, twitching his nearly damaged nose, "Well, it's not like it can get any worse," he grumbled.

"Which is exactly why you should stop and be a good example for our children," Izayoi said promptly, turning her nose up to stare into Inutaishu's disgruntled face.

"Which is why you forced, oh excuse me, asked, me to volunteer in the school's Romeo and Juliet Spring Play right? He-," Izayoi's finger was up there in an instant. Inu-papa growled btw, the term Inu-papa is something I got from yeah… just didn't wanna get accused for stealing or anything… but refrained from remarking on that.

Izayoi smiled slyly, "Well, that was for my own enjoyment. The tights really suited you."

Inu-papa was about to retort when a tap on his shoulder turned his attention to the poor moving men standing just outside the stairs, shaking as they tried to hold up a very large, heavy wooden frame of the king sized bed. "I hate to interrupt your lover's spat, but we can't hold this any longer! Where do you want it?"

Izayoi's expression softened into one of pity when she glimpsed Inu-papa's eyes give a sudden evil glitter. "Well, I was planning on having it carried upstairs…" uniformed workers groaned, trembling under the weight of the heavy framework, "But, seeing as how the house is apparently already furnished, I guess you'll just have to bring it to the storage shed in the back of the house."

Jaws dropped. The storage shed was at the very end of the backyard, nearly a football field away. Izayoi tried to keep her face straight, or at least manage to look sympathetic as she watched the poor sweating workers look at her husband as though they were ready to skin his hide (which, by the way, is sure to make a beautiful rug in the living room if he makes Izayoi angry enough).

XXX

Kagome, after getting bored of Inuyasha's moronic raving, decided to wander around to see what other damage her new freeloaders were wreaking. It certainly seems at least one of her guests would be very interesting to bother in the days to come. The loud mouthed boy stubbornly refused to stop banging on the door of the locked room, hollering curses to every god in heaven, from Roman mythology to Egyptian deities, of which kept Kagome amused for about a half an hour. But, as entertaining as that was, Kagome left to make sure not all of her prized possessions were being wrecked. The older brother seemed to be setting up his newly claimed room, the one above the dining room. A wicked smile spread across Kagome's face as she thought of the fun tricks she'd like to do with that long silver hair. And the happy couple on the first floor seemed to be admiring the ghost's choice of décor, or at least the female one. The demon seemed more interested in the Miko weapons display. Kagome giggled at the horrified expression on his face as he read some of the detailed cards next to them. Finally, Kagome glanced outside to see a pathetic little troop of workers lugging furniture to the shed. A frown emerged on her forehead as she watched the poor guys. That dog demon was working them like dogs! That'll have to be fixed.

XXX

Ken set his end down to rest for a little bit, wiping off the pouring sweat. Damn this hot July weather! Damn this heat! Damn those good for nothing dogs! He bent down to once again pick up the heavy bed frame. SMACK! The five laborers fell backwards, howling in pain and shock, as the frame levitated itself and flew across the field to the shed. Wide eyes and strained nerves panicked and were out of there in a blink of an eye. 'hmph' grumbled Kagome, 'ungrateful dogs!' she thought jokingly. Kagome glanced at the pile of things that yet needed to be transported and smiled, 'let's get to work then.'

XXX

"Honey?" Izayoi asked, the family had gathered around the traditional low Japanese table and were digging into the meal, "where do you think all the movers went?"

"I don't know," Inu-papa said carelessly. The entire group didn't notice the little flicker in the back of the room of a little ghost watching the feast and salivating hungrily.

'Stupid ghost body!' Kagome grumbled, 'can smell, touch (well, not really) and hear things, but can't TASTE them!' Kagome's poor translucent tummy flopped around inside her ghostly form as she watch the happy (well, almost happy) family eat; the lucky numbskulls! Tired of watching, Kagome floated up to sulk in her room, the locked one. She looked around it, at everything, perfectly situated the way they were before the incident. Gloomily, Kagome picked through her things, her paintings, her pictures, her books, her memories. Happy days, sad days, they all revolve around this room. The familiar weight seeped into Kagome's body, her tidal-waving emotions causing her to materialize. The lively family downstairs burst into laughter, a sound that hollowly hacked at Kagome's ears. Tears, real tears, started to fall from her eyes, her mind far away, in a time when she had a family, a family that laughed together the same way they did downstairs. But that time had passed, preserved only by the pictures in front of her, fragments of a time where she had been whole, content and happy.

XXX

Sniff, sniff. Inuyasha's nose twitched when he picked up a new scent. Suspicious golden eyes locked onto the door in front of him. The one that wouldn't open, not matter how much he cursed and yell at it, not that he expected it to. What was weird, was the fact that there was a scent coming from the room, a strange one, and definitely female. And there were… tears? Question marks floating around his head, he gave the door another try. Still locked. Oh well, the hanyou thought, surprisingly not bothered by the uncooperative door, let's get settled into my new room.

Kagome had been startled back into transparency when the door gave a little rattle; the only evidence of her being there was a few drops of quickly drying tears. Staring at them, she couldn't help but wonder again why she was allowed to have a solid body, only when her emotions were too crazy to enjoy it. Sadness was usually the reason. But, happiness too. Kagome looked thoughtfully at her precious pictures before deciding to go play tricks on her room mates.

Inuyasha would be her first victim. He was sitting on his bed, looking around, obviously wondering who the hell owned this room before him. Kagome giggled, remembering the cute little boy who used to live there. Poke-mon decorated an entire wall, and across from them, transformers armada fought the forces of evil. The teenage mutant ninja turtles looked even more mutant that usual on another wall, and the Power rangers gave the onlooker thumbs up on another heroic victory. Kagome started to develop an idea.

Inuyasha glared at the disgusting décor around his room, it all just has to go! The Pikachu, the freaky turtles, the runaway trucks, all of it! Sickened straight to his gut, Inuyasha failed to notice the red power ranger sneak up behind him. Kagome grinned widely as she tackled the unsuspecting demon with the paper power ranger. Inuyasha leaped sky high, an oink-like squeal escaping his lips. WHAT THE beep! Inuyasha crashed down, wailing his arms and legs out in all directions, growling and grunting as he fought the posters gone bad. Two worried head poked into his room. Izayoi's pretty face furrowed a little in concern, not sure what to make of her spazzing son. Inu-papa just stared, mouth open, eyes blank. The ghost in the corner watch in delight as her victim squirmed under the red power ranger's karate chopping assault. Izayoi and her husband backed away from the door and closed it, horrified expressions on their face. Our son has finally lost his marbles… they simultaneously thought. Meanwhile, Kagome, biting her lip to keep from laughing too hard, sent more killer posters his direction. This time, Sesshomaru stuck his head in to see what all the ruckus was about, and left shortly after, his face not changing at all. All that brain-damage I gave must have finally gotten to him, Fluffy thought as he walked away from the scene, Izayoi and Inu-papa still standing near the door in shock.

While busy frantically tearing off the evil posters, swearing to random gods and slipping on the torn shreds, one of Inuyasha's sensitive ears picked up the faint, but distinct sound of uncontrolled laughing. What the hell…? Still slipping, Inuyasha reached out toward the sound, more surprised than Kagome was when he touched something solid. And down they crashed. Wha-? Inuyasha thought, feeling something, a body, fall on top of him as he slipped on a shred of paper. The dog demon looked at his hand, dazed. He was obviously gripping something, but, nothing at the same time. Lowering his nose, he proceeded to sniff whatever it was that he held, the paper attackers finally returning to they're original lifeless forms.

Kagome quickly recovered from her initial surprise, shock and amusement flooding into her ghostly body, and stared wonderingly into the bewitching golden eyes. Why it was that he was able to touch her, she had no idea, but after five months of getting used to being dead, Kagome had gotten accustomed to this type of unexpected occurrences. Inuyasha however, couldn't believe his eyes. This girl, pretty girl (o.O), had slowly appeared out of no where! She had this mischievous look in her eyes, mixed with a dash of hot sunshine. Inuyasha, frozen, stared into the deep blue eyes, now absolutely certain that he'd just gone crazy.

"First of all, it's rude to start sniffing someone you don't even know." Inuyasha jumped at the sound of her voice. Eeps! He thought, it talked!

"Secondly, staring is very rude too," Kagome narrowed her eyes when he didn't respond, "Hello? You alive over there?" Kagome waved her hand in front of his face. The boy blinked a few times, and finally refocused his eyes on her. Suddenly, everything happened at once.

"Who the HELL are YOU!" Kagome lurched backwards to avoid getting knocked on the head with Inuyasha's dense little skull. Inuyasha had leaped up at her, and would have knocked her over if she hadn't had her ghostly powers. Tilted at a 20 degree angle from the floor, Inuyasha, out of shock, didn't even realize the compromising position he'd just forced the two of them into.

"No, wait, WHAT the hell are you!" Inu-papa once again poked his head into his lunatic son's room. Even more freaked out than before, Inu-papa's eyes just about shot out of his head when he saw his son talking to air, well, yelling rather, although, in this house, it'll come to mean the same thing. Quickly closing the door, he once again, stood out there, his mouth hanging open, in a weirded out daze. Izayoi was standing beside him, the same expression written neatly across her face.

"Is he still acting-" she started.

"Crazy…" Inu-papa finished for her.

Back it his room, Inuyasha and his "imaginary friend" were getting better acquainted.

"HEY! ANSWER ME!" Inuyasha growled at the ghost, who seemed to be giving him the silent treatment. Kagome was humming a little bit, hanging the blood-thirsty posters back up, fixing the giant tearing gashes the best she could.

"Hum deed um deed um dum dum dooooooo-"

"ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME!" Inuyasha screamed, tearing down the ginormous puzzle Kagome was working oh so hard to fix up.

"I'm not going to answer you until you either clean up that obnoxious mouth of yours, and start talking politely," Kagome said, levitating herself up to his height level, making Inuyasha jump back a bit, "or at least stop yelling, I may be dead but I'm not deaf!"

"You're… WHAT!" Inuyasha nearly shrieked. Kagome winced; it really isn't as though her hearing had gone bad after death you know. Inuyasha, eyes fired up and muscles tensed, unconsciously tightened his grip on the girl's wrist. Poor Kagome winced again, feeling the pain as though she were in her solid body, but quickly looked up at the spazzing dog demon, pain fading fast from her face.

"Well, bye, bye!" was the last thing Inuyasha heard as the ghost disappeared. The posters around his room fell fluttering to the ground, and deafening silence settled in her wake.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!" Inuyasha screamed; frustration radiated off his tense, freaked out body. Outside his room, Inu-papa and his wife jumped at the sudden explosive outburst. That's exactly what I wanted to know, they thought.

XXX

Yawning, Inuyasha stomped down the stairs, lazily finishing pulling on his shirt. He opened his mouth to ask his mother what was for dinner when he caught sight of the last thing he wanted to see. A semi transparent dark haired girl stood next to his mom. Frozen stiff, Inuyasha watched helplessly as his mother placed an egg on the counter and turn to assemble other ingredients. The lone egg promptly disappeared, and another egg was added to the egg carton. Izayoi look confused at the counter before shrugging and retrieving another egg from the carton. Fuzzy white ears trembled in an effort not to laugh; Inuyasha felt his stomach shake in repressed laughter as he watched his mother scratch her head as she turned on the stove a second time. From the corner of his eye, he could see that the culprit was also finding amusement in her actions. Seeing the ghost, however, sobered him up quite a bit. This was the same girl that caused him so much grief in his room last night.

"What are you doing, move it," a cold baritone voice said from behind him. Inuyasha jumped, then growled, trying to recollect himself and slumped down into place at the table. Sending a side long glance at the "invisible" member of the household, Inuyasha raised an eye brow when he saw her face light up with that sneaky smirk she'd given him the other night. Sesshomaru, oblivious to the danger, walked around the kitchen to get his breakfast. Inuyasha picked up a glass of milk and was about to drink when…

Kagome delightedly ran her fingers down Sesshomaru's long smooth locks. What soft strands! Oh how she bristled in jealousy for a moment, wishing that she had hair like that while she was alive. The dog demon stiffened a bit, sensing a presence behind him, though his senses told him no. Shaking off the feeling, he continued to move about the kitchen, interrupted only when his half breed brother suddenly guffawed.

Inuyasha watched, wriggling with mirth, as the strange girl walked behind his brother, successfully exaggerating the obsessively self-important style of moving characteristic only to Fluffy. Kagome stuck her chin into the air, her lips puckering out and her eyes staring down at her nose. She buffed out her chest and flexed her not too flattering biceps with one hand, and patted an imaginary stray lock of hair with the other. Inuyasha distinctly heard monologue to accompany the show as well.

"Look at me one and all; it is I the mighty king of fluff and all natural hair products. I am the emperor plastic surgery and synthetic sex change! Oh yeah, I'm just way too sexy for all of you. I bet you wish you were as sexy as me. Humph, I too good for all of you, even with my oddly girly face and freaky tattoo's and my over-grown arm-pit hair draped over my shoulder. Yes, my sense of style is unrivaled. I tell you, guys in dresses are all the rage now in my world…"

To the sound of Inuyasha's laughter, Kagome turned to look at him, surprised. Her faced quickly warmed with a goofy smile and she gave him a small victory sign. Inuyasha, hardly registering her actions, continued to laugh like there was no tomorrow. Meanwhile, Izayoi and Inutaishu were busy looking up numbers to the nearest psychologists in the area.

When the family finally settled down for breakfast, Inuyasha was surprised to find that the ghost had disappeared. Shrugging, he dove into his pancakes and bacon, unprepared to round 2 of torture-the-family-you're-haunting super sweep stakes.

"Izayoi, would you please pass the syr- oh, thank you," Inu-papa said, barely taking any of his attention off his wife's delicious home cooking.

"What dear? I didn't do anything," Izayoi said, her attention on her breakfast as well. Inu-papa, a little bewildered, glanced at the bottle of syrup he'd just put down. He clearly remembered it falling into his outstretched hand. Whatever, he got his syrup, that's all he wanted. A loud clang resounded throughout the room. Startled heads shot up to see what happened. Sesshomaru's face muscles flinch only in the slightest as he got up to pick up some lost silverware that seemed to have fallen off the kitchen counter. Inuyasha, starting to vaguely put together what was going on, glanced around the room suspiciously before turning back to his meal. Upon returning his gaze to his food, he promptly proceeded to leap backwards with startled yelp.

"Hehe, good morning!" Kagome said; her neck was directly in the center of Inuyasha's plate. The other occupants of the table stared at their youngest member with surprised concern. Inuyasha, blushing up to his ears in embarrassment, shuffled back to his seat, stabbing a fork into the annoying girl's head.

Kagome winced as the solid object passed straight through her. Jeez, she knew she was causing some discomfort among her guests, but did he have to stab her through like that? Inuyasha, meanwhile, smirked at her obvious wincing reaction and haughtily continued to eat through her head. Miffed to no end, Kagome did the next thing that popped into her head, she kicked under the table. The white head jumped in surprise, quickly turning shock into anger. 'How dare he…' the demon thought dangerously. Sesshomaru watched lividly as Inuyasha innocently ate his meal. 'So you want to play it that way do you?'

Inuyasha jumped into the air, a cry of pain slipping from his lips. And thus, the scene at breakfast quickly transformed into a brawl.

XXX

"YOU!" Inuyasha growled. He had the girl stiffly by the shoulders and was pushing her back into the wall when he realized something, making him double back and sharply jerked her a step closer to him. Kagome winced at his tight hold, scared to her wits end, and unable to concentrate enough to transport herself out of her captor's hold.

"What?" she asked irritably, annoyed by the sudden unwelcome sensation of pain running through her body.

"Explain everything, damn it!" Inuyasha demanded, "from what the beep are you doing here to how the hell you exist!"

"I don't need a reason to stay here!" Kagome cried back, losing her temper for the first time in 5 months, "and how on earth am I supposed to know why I am what I am! It's not like I went to ghost school or anything to learn about it!" Inuyasha tightened his hold on the poor girl, the shooting pain, surprisingly, bringing semitransparent bruises to her exposed skin.

"Then just tell me everything you know!" Inuyasha screamed. He'd cornered Kagome in the attic, and locked the door so that no one else can come in and haul him off to an asylum. In response to a bone chilling glare from Kagome, he gripped her arm with renewed vigor, determined to squeeze every last drop of information out of her. Hissing a little in pain, Kagome finally relented.

"Fine!" Kagome yelled as loud as she could at his dog ears, Inuyasha winced visibly but refused to let her go, "I died 5 months ago, ok?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha said, obviously waiting for her to go on. When she didn't, the half demon flexed his grip as a warning, making the ghost yelp and continue, venom dripping from every word that came out.

"I died 5 months ago and woke up here. Apparently, the law of gravity doesn't affect me and I'm not supposed to be visible to humans and demons, only some animals and people with spiritual powers-"

"Then why the hell can I see you!" Inuyasha cut in, driving Kagome further past her boiling point. Her frown deepened as she ground out the rest of her story.

"I can't touch solid objects but I can manipulate them with my mind. You're not supposed to be able to see me and I can't touch people."

"Then how'd you kick Sesshomaru in the shin today?" Inuyasha asked, slowly starting to cool his temper. She was finally cooperating.

"I gathered some power and just thrust it at him," Kagome replied promptly.

"Then why couldn't we feel it?"

"Because my powers don't have a presence, I'm technically not there, only in spirit, and the spirit realm operates on a parallel, yet non intersecting, dimension or something like that… oh, how should I know!" Kagome cried, giving up on this hopeless hanyou.

"And how come I smelled you're scent yesterday, just after dinner?" Inuyasha questioned.

Kagome looked up at him shocked, "You smelled me?"

Inuyasha snorted, "Well yeah, it's not hard to miss a stench like that." 'Smelled like something green, like springtime, or something.'

"Well I'm so sorry," Kagome yelled at him in disgusted awe at his audacity, "but we ghosts don't exactly have readily accessible showers where we can bathe everyday like you solid beings can."

'Don't shower,' Inuyasha thought, 'it'd be nice to smell that every-' He quickly cut his train of thought right there, and said instead, "Well, why did you suddenly have a scent?"

Kagome looked down, "I don't know, I just happen to materialize sometimes when I get a strong emotion, like sadness or joy. I guess it's because a spirit is simply there, it's not supposed to have emotions; it just exists. But for a ghost, you still have conscious thought, and thus you have emotions as well, however, things like that can only exist in this plane, and not the spirit realm… or something…" Changing her tune quickly, she glared up at him, "Are you happy now?"

"Almost," Inuyasha said, the steam quickly leaving his initial assault, "why didn't you move on?"

Kagome blinked a few times to the blunt question. Why didn't she? She didn't quite know herself. She was a top student, always did well at anything she tried. She had a loving family, and friends that had looked out for her, or at least looked up to her. 'Why haven't I moved on?' she asked herself, 'Even I don't know the answer to that.'

Inuyasha felt the strained silence more than his ears did. About to open his mouth to say something to lighten, or at least liven, the mood, Kagome suddenly murmured something that caught all his attention.

She spoke in a hushed whisper, as if afraid to speak. It was as if she was afraid that if she voiced this, something terrible would happen. Her voice was serious and sad, her naturally cheery tone dampened by suffering she never deserved. Inuyasha's human heart lurched in unfamiliar ways as the dead girl whispered.

"I guess, there's something here that I need to do. Something that's so important, that even dying isn't allowed to be an excuse not to do it."

* * *

_"Here is a test to find out whether your mission in life is complete. If you're alive, it isn't" Richard Bach_


	2. Of Ghosts Gone Bad

Disclaimer: me no own Inuyasha

The second Chappie I think I'll try to actually finish the story before updating so I wont keep ppl hanging ;;; yeah, that sound like a good idea.

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Almost Tangible 

By Kitty

XXX

_People are so cold. They never give you a second glance. Even in evident suffering, they always choose the easy path of blatant ignorance. What causes their soft human hearts to grow so hard? What builds the fort around their soul? Don't they know? They all carry a miracle, each of them, within those walls of ice. Learn from those who bleed; those who do not cover the soft flesh of their mortal hearts with iron mail and steel. From their bloody wounds flows a warm glowing pulse that radiates light and burns away the icy walls around frozen hearts. Those who suffer and still find joy are those with the brightest souls. I will not build that wall; I will grow strong in this bleeding heart of mine. And I will burn through the ice around others to show the joy that the backside of suffering can bring. And in this I pray that the world will learn to suffer with the hope of tomorrow melting away the snowy breath of indifference that shrouds the world of today.

* * *

_

Chappie 2: Of Ghosts Gone Bad

* * *

Kagome hovered above the floor of the room, watching something below her very intently. She concentrated her mind and power on a single object. White power sank into the wooden pencil, its pale pink shade quickly dissipating before the room's true owner entered. 

Inuyasha gave Kagome a pointed stare before walking over to his desk. He was well aware of the three pairs of ears behind his room door, and was careful not to unclench his teeth, for fear he might start talking to the girl again. It'd been a month of living here and the ghost's presence was known only to the half demon, and he kept it a secret. Kagome, intrigued with Inuyasha's ability to see her, and the odd everyday antics of her new houseguests, decided to allow them to stay for longer than she normally would have. The longest anyone's ever stayed here before the family of dog demons had been about 2 weeks. Within that time, Kagome had become something of a private friend to Inuyasha. Well, not exactly "friend" per say. Inuyasha showed his acknowledgement of her through sharp glares and growls, either telling her to go away or don't touch. These warnings Kagome promptly ignored and caused Inuyasha to lose his temper very quickly, often rousing critical stares from the house's other three occupants. Now, with a psychiatrist and his annoying parents following his every move, he painfully turned over the dominance he'd originally enjoyed over the ghost due to his sheer fiery anger and demon strength. With his liberty to interact with Kagome on hold, she could flutter around unchecked and be a danger to everyone in the house. But he'd rather do that than get dragged off to a mental asylum.

Inuyasha groaned mentally as he opened his notebook to start homework. Quickly scanning his assignments, he reached out to select a pencil and commence. It was the usual load of Algebra problems, reading assignments and note taking; God could his life get any duller?

Kagome puckered her lip in disappointment when Inuyasha picked out the red pencil rather than the blue one. She would have chosen the blue one. Red was too … red. Well, no matter, she'd get her amusement soon. Narrowing impatient blue-grey eyes, the trapped-in-her-youth-miko focused at the tip of the pencil Inuyasha was writing with, timing her attack perfectly.

CRACK! Inuyasha jerked a little, startled by the sudden brittleness of his favorite pencil. All the exposed lead at the tip had broken off. Frowning a little, he used his sharp, useful claws to scratch away at the wood, re-sharpening his pencil and got back to work, absently rubbing a now darkened fingernail. Kagome's jaw dropped, of course! She grumped to herself. And floated over determinedly behind Inuyasha, who was well aware of her presence and he narrowed his eyes.

Kagome hummed in delight as she peeked over Inuyasha's hunched shoulder. Her pretty blue eyes filled with figures and logarithms. Math had always been her best subject! Quickly scanning through the messy equations and graphical points, she caught several mistakes and giggled. Inuyasha, peeved and bristling, scribbled something down and nudged the ghost to achieve her attention. After two more pokes and finally a shove, Inuyasha managed to get the girl's attention and pointed to his paper.

'WHAT are you doing!' Kagome looked from paper to amber eyes, honey irises to incoherent handwriting.

"You made a few mistakes," Kagome commented. Inuyasha, not expecting this, almost cried out in exasperation, barely remembering to keep his big mouth shut lest he wind up in some psychiatrist's office, whining on the couch.

"You have to remember that logarithms are actually exponents and not coefficients. You can't cancel out logs either." Kagome pointed to the incorrect problem.

Inuyasha frowned and whispered, "I knew that!" while busily erasing his scraggly writing, an embarrassed blush creeping across his cheeks. Kagome smiled unconsciously and continued to look over the demon's work.

"Over here, you short skirted a step, and this you can't do, adding exponents isn't like adding regular variables with coefficients!"

Settling down more comfortably above Inuyasha's desk, Kagome continued to point out errors on the dog hanyou's math homework. Something of a cease fire formed between the two as Kagome went over the boy's work, editing essays and checking chemistry equations.

Days and weeks afterward, Inuyasha would quickly and quietly rush up to his room upon coming home from school and his slipping grades miraculously jumpstarted for unknown reasons.

XXX

"Sometimes I get so weird; I even freak myself out,

I laugh myself to sleep, it's my lullaby

Sometimes I drive so fast, just to feel the danger

I wanna scream in makes me feel alive!"

Izayoi looked up with a perplexed expression on her face. Would that be Avril Lavigne her son was listening to? The woman frowned, while she was glad he was finally listening to music, his choice seemed a bit odd for his personality, she'd imagined more of a hard metal type… not that she was complaining…

Kagome jovially danced around Inuyasha's room.

"Is it enough to love? Is it enough to breathe?

Somebody rip my heart out, and leave me here to bleed.

Is it enough to die, somebody save my life

I 'd rather be anything but ordinary please!"

She sang along gleefully twisting her non-existent body around, rousing a light blush to Inuyasha's cheeks when her dancing lifted a bit of her blouse to expose a beautifully tanned midriff, not dark, but not pale. She loved dancing, loved music! It was exuberating! When you're dancing, you lose touch with everything, reality, gravity, time, and even life, or death in her case. All you know is the beat, the chords and the way the air caresses your body as you spin on clouds.

"To walk within the lines would my life so boring,

I want to know that I have been to the extreme,

So knock me off my feet come on now give it to me,

Anything to make me feel alive!

Inuyasha sighed, 'I guess it was worth it…' Though it really didn't cost that much, to a guy to lost money left and right and spent most of it on hoards of ramen that he ate at nearly the same rate as he bought them, it was a painfully costly purchase.

xxx

"Oh come ON!" Kagome cried, throwing her arms in the air, "Please? I was the one who pulled your grades out of the gutter, I can toss 'em right back in there!"

"Like I care? There is NO WAY I'm getting that!" Inuyasha crossed his hands across his chest and holding his nose high, he was NOT stooping as low as to buy a DEAD PERSON a CD, whether or not he owed her.

"It's not even that expensive! Just 14 bucks!" Kagome tried again. '14 bucks huh?' Inuyasha said to himself, thinking of the boxes of packages of ramen he could buy for the same amount…

"What if," Kagome said slowly, peeking through her lowered lashes to watch his reaction, "all that ramen in the house were to mysteriously disappear?"

Inuyasha's back went ramrod straight, ooh, she hit a chord. He turned to face her like a reprimanded child, "You, couldn't do that, could you?"

Kagome smirked, she got him! "We'll be finding out soon now won't we?" Kagome said, manipulating the tone of her voice in such a way that Inuyasha wanted to run to his secret stash to check if it's all still there. In truth, Kagome had no idea whether or not it was possible, but it was much more fun this way.

Becoming a little nervous, Inuyasha glared at her, "Fine!" he grumbled, and then stalked back into the house, where the walls had ears which were waiting for him to slip and send him off to a mental institute.

xxx

"Let down your defenses, use no common sense

If you look you will see, that this world is

Beautiful, accident, turbulent,

Succulent, opulent, permanent

No way, I wanna taste it

Don't wanna waste it away!"

Kagome danced like there was no tomorrow, and anything Inuyasha learned that day about solving matrices flew out the window and out of sight. He sat there, pencil in hand, and notebook on his lap, scratching something onto the crisp lined sheets. They were supposed to be systems of equations. What it was instead was…

"Oh thank you so much, Inuyasha!" Kagome squealed, not out of breathe for a second, though it could be because she didn't breathe at all.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Inuyasha muttered, quickly flipping the page of his notebook to a clean sheet and trying to refocus on his math homework. The music went on, something about things some girl wants to say…

Kagome giddily bounced on his bed, humming away. She noticed an old, torn photograph flutter a little from underneath. With Inuyasha's attention of his Algebra, Kagome levitated the picture out from under the bed and peered at it. Suddenly, her cheery mood vanished and utter shock enveloped her senses. How could it be possible?

XXX

Kagome wondered silently round the house one stormy night. Dreams are strange things to ghosts. Apparently, you don't dream like a normal person, you re-live fragments out of your life. For tonight, Kagome got a nightmare. Awakened by the lightning that had also awoken her that angry evening years before, the young girl roused and decided to take a walk through the house, maybe play a little in the game room the demon family had refurbished, or perhaps tinker a little with her old banged up guitar, or practice some archery (where though, she had no idea).

She floated out of the locked door which she had to bar down with, not only a mere human lock, but sutras and spells to go against the stubborn dog demons that seemed to make it their sole objective to get into that room, or that father and youngest son rather. Glancing around, Kagome's eyes focused on the door towards the end of the hall. The room's occupant had been rather ill tempered that day. Kagome's crystal blue irises flashed with curiosity and she approached the door. There was some shuffling, and soft grunting reached her ears. Slipping her head into the room, she was surprised to find it pitch dark. Bringing the rest of her body in, the miko finally adjusted her eyes enough to see a small restless lump lying on the floor in the corner of the room, farthest from the door and the window.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered softly, a little frightened by his choice of sleeping place. A small lump lifted itself from the rest of the mass. Kagome, unable to clearly see the silhouette, scowled, trying to bring him into focus. She was about to move closer when a loud boom rang through the house, swiftly followed by a flash of light. When the din had ended, it left two young teenagers staring, wide-eyed, at each other in the dark.

"Inuyasha, wha-," Kagome started.

"Get the hell away!" the boy growled, flinging the blanket he'd been laying under back over his head. It was too late, she'd seen it. He cringed beneath the covers as he heard her approach. She was soft, but still, even as a ghost, she rustled the items strewn about the floor, bumped into his desk, like any other mortal girl.

"So this is your night," Kagome stated blandly. Inuyasha grit his fangless jaws together. When something began to pull away the protective sheets, he resisted, until he heard her say, "Oh come on! I wanna see!"

Slowly easing the blanket away from his face, Inuyasha straightened up and fixed his expression with his trademark, cold, glowering face. He waited. He was waiting for the sneering, the biting remarks, the disgust to spread across her face and make him feel as though he wanted to dig a hole and die in it. 'Ha! What happened to you _demon_ powers now? How tough are you _now_?' He saw none.

Surprise melted through his body as Kagome's expression brightened with awe and wonder. Her sapphire eyes widened and glittered with unasked questions. Her perfect little mouth dropped open and a grin tugged at the edge of her full red lips. She inched her head forward, like a dog investigating a stranger. A small gasp escaped from her chest and a small, translucent hand reached outward to touch his now human ears. Instead of the harsh, ridiculing comment he expected to hear, a giggle erupted from the back of her throat.

"So, even as a human, you're lucky with your looks," Kagome said, almost coyly, "though I have to admit, I miss the ears."

Inuyasha was a loss for words.

"So, exactly why do you half-demons change only once a month?" 'She wasn't disgusted.' "Do you have a full demon form too?" 'She didn't think being a half breed was revolting.' "This is so cool! Hey, are your eyes actually violet?" 'She doesn't mind being with a dirty mixed blood demon.' "Wow! That's such a cool color!" 'What's wrong with her?' "Aw, you're so lucky to be so special-,"

"What is WRONG with you!" Inuyasha cried, thunder effectively masking his voice from the rest of the family. What's wrong with her?

Kagome, taken aback by his sudden harsh outburst, stiffened and drew back, "Aside from being dead? Nothing that I know of. Why?"

'Look at her,' Inuyasha thought, 'those wide eyes, they're so innocent. As if she doesn't have a clue. She's the kind that would pity and force herself just to ease her own conscience. The kind that pretends that you're worth something, when … you're really… nothing.'

"Don't pretend," Inuyasha growled, frightening Kagome back a step, "don't pretend like there's nothing wrong!" 'I HATE it! Why did she have to fake everything? Why build me up to believe I was worth while and then let me fall to pieces?'

"Why would- what's wrong?" Kagome asked, worry lines forming along her smooth forehead. She reached forward, though frightened by his frenzied antics. Inuyasha felt himself slip into that gap between head and heart, and out of that crevice, his feelings.

"Don't pretend, DAMMIT!" Inuyasha growled, startling Kagome. He grabbed her transparent shoulders tensely, ignoring her whimper of pain and fright, "You're always pretending! Acting like nothing's wrong! STOP, GODDAMMIT!"

Kagome was frightened for the first time in a long time. But she was also getting angry. Her blue eyes became coated with a steely grey as they flashed in response to his mounting offense.

"Who said anything about pretending!" Kagome yelled, catching Inuyasha by surprise and forcing him back with just the angry tone of her voice. 'Pretending!' Kagome thought angrily, 'pretending what! Pretending is what THEY did, those selfish bullies! The ones that drove you to believe that you're the one with issues when it's really them.' Kagome stiffened at the thought. "I see," she continued coolly, "the one with the real problem here is you! Get your issues in order and get over it! Stop making big deal out of nothing and STOP accusing ME for it!"

Inuyasha watched her, her rage, her anger. A perfectly poised cobra flattening her neck. And right then, for a moment, he forgot what it was the he'd been so upset about. Like her voice had wiped them clean away with shock. But they slowly crept back into his body, weighing down each and every bone in his body. All those insecurities.

Kagome saw a change in his eyes, there was a brief unmasking within those violet depths. Her eyes softened and she sighed, her entire ghostly body sagging a little. "What's wrong, Inuyasha?" she asked, wearily.

And with that, all the magic and the timelessness of that moment vanished. Rearing back and collecting himself, Inuyasha 'feh-ed' and turned away from her, embarrassed that he'd lost his control. But, as always in his human blood, a desire far greater than the coldness of his demon half surged forward. Inuyasha sighed, stiffly erect shoulders bent and his stature lost a few inches. Shifting uncomfortably, Inuyasha suddenly found the floor of great interest and internally tried to quell the tidal waves in his heart. Kagome, however, lost her patience.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said, jerking back Inuyasha's attention, "Tell me what's wrong." Inuyasha stared into her eyes, as if searching for something, then sighed again, and grumbled something.

"Come again?" Kagome said.

"Ya wanna know what's wrong? Look at me," Inuyasha said dejectedly. Kagome blinked once, then twice. 'She still doesn't get it,' Inuyasha thought, somewhat amused. Suddenly, Kagome snapped her fingers.

"Oh yeah! I read somewhere that Hanyou's tend to suffer from inferiority complexes!" Kagome stated as a matter of fact, pointing to the ceiling like a teacher lecturing his class. Inuyasha was more than flabbergasted, he suddenly felt like laughing. The unforeseen statement simply fell out of the blue and slipped from Kagome's innocent lips. Inuyasha felt the beginnings of a smile tug at the sides of his mouth. Here was truly a person who could turn frowns upside down.

"You know, just because you're not full demon, or full human, doesn't mean you're any less than any of them," Kagome murmured softly.

Inuyasha sat with his head bowed for a moment. Her words somehow reached his soul and embraced it. He'd heard it from his mother, and his father, but never from a completely unrelated someone who'd lived among the rest of the cruel unforgiving world. How could there possibly be a living mortal being out there with such a good heart?

This said person, in the meanwhile, had acquired a frown of her own. Her eyes were clouded over, and though Inuyasha didn't happen to notice, a flash of hurt flickered briefly in the twin sapphire pools after a quick glance sideways. Kagome got up and floated over to the bed and sat down on it. She then gave Inuyasha an assessing look.

"What?" Inuyasha asked, becoming annoyed and uncomfortable with the ghost's distant gaze. Kagome looked at him straight in the eye before speaking.

"Inuyasha, how do you know Kikyo?" Inuyasha froze. He felt his innards slowly icing over at the mention of that name. The numbness began to seep into his mind. 'Kikyo…'

"…Inuyasha?" Kagome began, but was cut off.

"I don't know her," Inuyasha said gruffly. 'Dammit, how does she know?'

"Then why do you have a picture of her under your bed?" Kagome asked quietly. It had been bugging her for days. How does he know her? What happened? Did they still know each other? Were they friends? Or perhaps more…? The last question caused an unexpected sickening sensation inside her gut.

Inuyasha looked furious, "That's my goddamn business, nosy bitch!"

Kagome felt his sharp words bite at something inside of her. She cringed. "Sorry…," Kagome murmured, surprising Inuyasha by her lack of retort, and then she willed herself away to think things over.

Inuyasha stared at the spot where she once was. Something was wrong. 'Well, no duh,' he thought to himself. He thought he was the only person he knew that knew anything about Kikyo. Or at least Kikyo's involvement in his miserable life. She resided in the chapter of his life in which he truly felt loved, valuable, and worth while, the only moment of his life that he could really look back on and grin. That is until he learned the truth. In the end of everything, he was still a Hanyou, she was still a human miko, and reality was still cold, cruel and bitter.

xxx

Inuyasha stared at the reflection in the water. His own two eyes stared back at him, their melting irises crying.

"A meager Hanyou is not worth my time," she'd said, "Pity is such an aggravating feeling."

'It's a pity I that I know how to swim,' Inuyasha thought idly to himself, remembering the few times he'd tried to end it here, in the depths of the lake. His lungs had always demanded him to swim, to struggle, to fight. If only his heart could do the same.

"As a miko, it is my duty to do away with the scum that plagues this world, the weaker demons who cause trouble within the human realm."

Her words clawed at wounds that had been slowly healing, the tender tissue torn away, leaving only his bleeding, shattered heart.

"I'll not be used and thrown away! Especially by a half demon like you!" When she turned to leave, Inuyasha caught something in her scent. There was anger, and sadness. There lingered fury and anguish. It was like there was something tearing her apart from the inside, and she blamed it all on him. Was he that terrible? Was he really such a monster?

Inuyasha stared at the reflection in the water, wondering exactly how blissful eternal sleep will be.

xxx

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" someone within the cozy mansion screamed. The morning birds were startled out of their gay chirping melodies and a glass or two shattered at the unbearably high pitch and frequency of the sudden outburst. Inuyasha leapt out of his tangled mattress, gracelessly tumbling to the ground, startled awake. Izayoi and Inutaishu groaned from under the covers, the sensitive demon's ears dug even further beneath the comforters. Seshoumaru bolted out of his room and ran down the hall, streaking past Inuyasha who'd poked his nose out to see what all the ruckus was about. What he saw had likely scarred him for life and beyond death. The young demon slowly closed the door to his room and leaned back on it heavily, 'what the BEEP is he doing naked! … and what the heck happened to his hair?'

Several screams and a crash later found the dynamic family together in the family room. Seshoumaru had shrugged on a plain white bathrobe and was glaring death at anything that happened to glance at his long flowing hair. Inuyasha kept his face stiffly blank, not even a slight twitch of muscled was visible. He'd gotten over the shock and was sitting, or sprawled rather, on the couch. The brothers' parents were both gritting back laughter and struggling to find words suitable for the situation. The slightest flicker in the back of the room caught only one pair of eyes.

Izayoi gathered up her wits first, "So, Seshoumaru, what happened?"

Inuyasha couldn't hold it any longer. His stomach was doing acrobatics and his heart and lungs froze in a desperate effort not to laugh. A tightly clenching jaw drew blood from his lip as he carefully controlled each and every small trembling muscle on his face. His position on the couch, though seemingly laidback, was taught and stiff, all his muscles hard and attempting not to move in the slightest. The faintest spasm would mean slow painful death in this situation. 'So THIS is what Kagome was doing with the hair gel and food coloring…'

Sesshomaru's eyes were a deadly blood red and his smooth brow furrowed in an angry scowl. More than anger at the current situation was the frustration at the fact that he couldn't blame his half pint brother. There was no way Inuyasha would have done it. He COULDN'T have done it. His scent was no where. There was no scent. Only the horrendous result of a nasty deed discovered in the morning with no hint or clue as to the culprit.

Kagome tilted her head this way and that, critiquing her work. She was very satisfied. It took her two nights to just make the stuff, two weeks to cajole Inuyasha to get the necessary ingredients (while not spilling her evil plans) and a whole night to do the darned endeavor. The mischievous ghost grinned widely, 'it was definitely worth it though…' In an array of rainbow colors, gelled into place deftly by a night's worth of work, stood Sesshomaru's hair, seven neon spikes turning the dog demon's slender face into a sun like head of antlers. Each spike was decorated with a delicate heart shaped sculpture of gelled hair. Only a few stray hairs fell down his back, ones Kagome reminded herself not to miss the next time.

"Sesshomaru," Inutaishu began in an oddly serious voice, "do you have something you want to share with us?"

XXX

"BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Inuyasha pounded the earth beneath him. They were sprawled out beneath the branches of a mighty old tree and Inuyasha was releasing some of the valiantly suppressed laughter. Kagome laughed heartily too, her head thrown back and slender neck exposed.

"That," she gasped between giggles, "was so worth it!"

Inuyasha snorted on his laughter as he tried to speak, "I can't BELIEVE he sleeps frigging nude! How the hell did you manage to do it without him waking up?"

"That's easy!" Kagome said, pausing to gather herself and say soberly, "He sleeps with a baby lullaby CD on."

"HE WHAT!" Inuyasha cried in disbelief, laughing spasms taking control of his body. He glanced around when he heard Kagome sigh. She lay under the giant tree; her slender long legs sprawled to give Inuyasha a great view of their tanned, toned surface. He blushed, 'DAMMIT! Why can't this happen with a normal girl!' Thinking about it, those thoughts leading him somewhere else, sobered him greatly, and quickly made his cheery mood depressed.

"Yo, wench," Inuyasha called. He heard the girl sigh with exasperation.

"Would it kill you to use my name? What?" she asked.

"How do YOU know Kikyo?" He studied her carefully; her pretty blue eyes went wide at the mention. Something flickered in them, but he couldn't identify the emotion.

"She… is…" Kagome said slowly, trying to find the words she needed, "my…older cousin."

Inuyasha nodded, that makes sense, considering the near identical appearance of the two.

"She was also the reason I died."

This time Inuyasha sat upright. Though her voice was soft, barely above a whisper, her words were loud and clear. He didn't know what to say or do, so he settled for typical Inuyasha behavior.

"Keh, you don't need to tell me anything, I was just wondering cuz you brought her up and all." Kagome smiled bitterly, she was already far off in another land. Inuyasha watched her surprised as her body began to become opaque and her scent suddenly grew, it was tainted with sadness.

"I was born in California, in the US, but my family wasn't doing all that great, so, when I was 5, they sent me here to live. My uncle was pretty wealthy, and took me in with good grace; mostly because he thought it would be profitable to say that he's taking care of more people than in his immediate family. He does business with lots of overseas companies and thought he could win sentiment through me."

xxx

"Kagome, be a dear and get your uncle another cup of tea?" nodding quietly, Kagome turned to obey, her little six year old body littered with bruises. 'The schoolboys are rather rough at this age,' he had said, 'And Kagome's such a little tomboy.' That wasn't true. She had refused to peak through the lists at a company office of one of her uncle's business associates. She said that cheating was bad, and that tests were things you have to study for on your own. And she learned not to lecture him ever again.

xxx

Her aunt loved to spoil Kagome. After all, Kagome was a much sweeter, more cheerful girl than her real daughter. Kagome would wake the couple up on Sundays with a fresh handful of flowers and say that breakfast was ready. She would always offer help in the kitchen when Auntie Ayume was preparing the family dinner, and had an unusual knack for reading. Ayume had always loved books; however, her only daughter didn't share the same fondness. Kagome would climb over her aunt's shoulder and peer at the lines of smelly inky writing and listen intently when Ayume read them out loud to her. Despite her husband's condescending attitude for the family, she could tell that Kagome was wedging her way into his heart, as well as her own.

xxx

"You're that _girl_ that the rich mansion people adopted aren't you?" a local boy sneered as Kagome skipped up to the small group of children playing on the school playground.

"My name's Kagome!" she said cheerfully, her hand extended in the way she'd seen her father and uncle greet strangers.

"Humph" the same boy sneered, "Why would you wanna come over and play with us?"

"I – I just wanted to make friends …" Kagome was taken aback from the cold front the children were giving her.

"Why? Wouldn't you rather hang out with _Kikyou_?"

Kagome shook her head sadly, "She doesn't want to play right now."

"So you wanted to grace us poor people with your pwesents?" another girl retorted.

"Um…" said Kagome, "I don't usually get people presents unless it's their birthday or Christmas… if you want something you just have to ask…"

"Give me your money," a larger boy demanded.

"What?"

"Are you stoopid? I said give me your money!" He reached a hand out to grab her. Kagome screamed and he hit her and told her to shut up. The five year old went home crying that day, asking her Aunt if perhaps she was a bad person to make somebody so angry that they'd hit her like that. Shortly afterward, a tutor/babysitter was found for Kagome and Kikyou.

xxx

"Wow! He's so tiny! Was I that small when I was small?" Kagome peered excitedly into her baby brother's face. He, though young, looked just like her mother, and Kagome told her so.

"Who do I look like mommy?" Kagome turned her crystal blue eyes to her blood mother. Mrs. Higurashi smiled warmly and put a hand to one side of her daughter's face, turning it this way and that, as if to see. She didn't have too; Kagome was the spitting image of her father, thick black hair and bright blue eyes. The narrow face of Caucasians with the large blue eyes and long thick lashes. Yes, Kagome inherited the best of both worlds, an almost perfect mix of her mother and father.

"I think you look like the teddy bear your father and I bought for you last year… what do you think dear?" Kagome giggled.

"I'm a teddy bear? Roar!" Kagome squealed. Souta gurgled back happily and the rest of the group smiled.

xxx

"…My Daddy… is dead?" Kagome's miniature features were bathed in shock. Her father was supposed to be come visit her today. They were supposed to go pick him up at the airport today. Why weren't they going yet? They'll be late.

"Listen Kagome," Auntie said, kneeling down in front of her niece, "Your father's plane never made it to the airport. He's gone."

"No…" Kagome whispered to her Auntie, "Daddy likes to trick people, he likes to tease…"

The ten year old looked frantically around at the people in the room, trying to identify the man who shared her features.

"No…" Kagome said again, "No… No… NO!"

Two unfamiliar men stepped forward to hold the struggling girl. Kagome kicked and screamed for her father. Who was going to take her on the big rides at Great America? Who would take her on his lap and tell her stories of the magical jewel that granted the wishes of the purest of souls? Who was going to bring her back to America to see her brother and mother and go eat ice cream and tell her he loved her?

"DADDY!"

xxx

Kikyo was dressed in dark clothes that covered much of her almost unnatural pallor. Kagome almost didn't recognize her. They were both facing a busy street. It was raining horribly, and Kagome was about to call out to her when Kikyo suddenly turned around, stopping Kagome in her tracks. Kikyo's face was tear-streaked and there was a pained, wild look in her eyes that Kagome had never seen before.

"Kikyo!" Kagome cried, running forward, but the elder girl ran off, dashing out into the street. Kagome didn't realize what she was doing; she simply saw the headlights and rushed in to push her cousin out of the way. There was a long scream. Kagome only felt a sharp blow to her hip, then a smashing crash on her head. The world went black and silent, but Kagome wasn't out, she was very much in. She felt the burning sensations rushing like white hot bolts of lightning striking her body. She felt her lungs fill up with bile and blood as she struggled to breath. Kagome felt the wetness that flowed from her burning pain and knew, somehow, that it was her own life that was slowly leaving her body.

XXX

"…When I went to see my own wake, everybody was crying. My mother, grandfather and Souta were all there, they'd just recently bought the shrine. I'd been looking forward to moving in with them. Souta was only six, and we'd both made plans of all the things we were going to do together, he was only six…," Kagome faltered, her eyes watery, but seemed to hold acceptance in her fate, "afterwards, I went to my room, and Kikyo was there … she… she was laughing."

Kagome laughed hollowly, forcing her emotions back into the dark little box she'd locked them all in. They cut too deep. 'I didn't want to die,' she thought to herself, 'I didn't want to die… I wanted to play with Souta, to date, to fall in love. I wanted to marry, have kids, and watch them grow up, earn a living for them, become a grandmother… to have a future…' No, no, lock them away; she couldn't deal with them yet, the stabbing feeling in her chest when she thought of her death and how much she regretted it.

Kagome was startled to feel Inuyasha's clawed hand gently latch on to her shoulder. When she raised her eyes, a smile grew on her face as she looked up at Inuyasha's awkward attempt of comforting her. His face was angled away from her and a blush grew under concerned eyes. And then Kagome realized something, she didn't regret dying. She didn't regret it at all. Not the pain of death, the pain of loneliness of years set apart by the status of her uncle's family, not the beatings or the gut wrenching heartbreak with the loss of her father, not the secret crying girl inside of her always screaming 'why?', none of it, she didn't regret any of it. After all, that was how she met Inuyasha.

* * *

_"Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair" Kahlil Gibran_


	3. High on Life

Disclaimer: me no own Inuyasha

* * *

Almost Tangible 

By Kitty

_I feel alive. Oh wow, that's like the biggest contradiction of all times. How can I feel alive when I'm dead? Heh, it's a strange feeling. But oh well, whatever. I should just enjoy it while I can right? Cause I mean, you never know when this moment will go away right? I should still hold on to every second, right? Even though my every second lasts for an eternity, I can still find reasons to live it.

* * *

_

Chappie 3: High on Life

* * *

Inuyasha tossed in his bed, dreaming for the first time in years. They were strange, fragments of his life mixed up and melding into the next. Kagome sat at the end of his bed, watching him worriedly, wondering what dreams the heavens sent him tonight. 

xxx

She was beautiful. Soft pale skin was a sharp contrast to her flowing red dress and brought out the redness in her lips. She had large brown eyes and thick long hair bathed in herbal essences. What was a girl like that doing next to him?

They sat together in uncomfortable silence as the heaving, sweating bodies of young, human adolescences danced about them. The strain needed a way out.

"Don't force yourself."

The girl turned to face him slowly, almost ghost like was her appearance and he gulped. Yet despite her haunting look, she was absolutely captivating.

"What do you mean by that?" Kikyo looked him dead in the eye and, in them, he saw something shocking, "Is it a crime to sit here?"

"Eh… no," he grumbled.

"Well, if it makes you uncomfortable, I'll be leaving," she said, and got up to leave. He watched her carefully, and she hesitated, and then said, "My name is Kikyo, what is your name, hanyou?"

"Uh… uh… Inuyasha," the boy stuttered, shocked that this girl could identify him so quickly beneath the flashing lights from above and his large hat. He watched her leave with some regret, 'feh, chase off anyone who comes near ya why dontcha?' There was something very surprising he found inside the girl's eyes. It was the very same emotion he saw in the mirror.

xxx

A five year old Inuyasha stared at himself in the reflecting glass, the conversation burning in his young mind.

"You can't play with us," the fair haired young lad said snobbily. If Inuyasha hadn't been so bored to death, he'd have throttled him.

"Why not?" his young innocent voice asked. The other boys snickered and a few girls whispered to each other in such hushed tones that Inuyasha's puppy ears couldn't catch the words.

"I can throw the ball really far! And I'm good at catching it too!"

"We're not allowed to play with HALF BREEDS," came the confusing retort. Inuyasha swiveled his white head in the same way his puppy relatives would. 'Half breed? What's that?'

"Mom? What's a half breed?" Inuyasha asked, shocked to hear his mother gasp, then suddenly start crying. The young half demon panicked.

"Ma! I'm sorry! I don't wanna know!" Inuyasha said quickly, "Hey! Can we go find Papa and play ball? The other boys wouldn't let me play with them."

"Of… of course we can," Izayoi said, her eyebrows heavy with the weight her son bore. She tried to shake the feeling of doom and concentrate on seeing to it that her child would live a life free of as much pain as she could spare him from. The overhanging cloud wouldn't budge.

'Why am I so different that other kids can't play with me?' the young boy thought, examining his golden eyes and snowy ears. They were cute weren't they? That's what his mother had always said.

xxx

He was seven years old when he truly learned the meaning of being a half breed. At first, he'd always thought that being a half breed just meant that humans couldn't play ball with him. He quickly learned the deeper, darker side to the rule.

"Suicchi! Can I try?" Inuyasha's small, perfectly clawed hands reached out for the small object in the elder boy's hands. They were in a small grove in the park. Inuyasha had come across a young leopard demon not much older than himself playing with a shiny set of ninja stars. Inuyasha recognized him as the son of one of his father's friends.

The full-fledged demon looked down on the hanyou and sniffed, "Nah, I don't share with anyone, especially pathetic weak half demons like you."

Inuyasha, disappointed, but not put down, tried to climb up to where the demon was perched.

"Can I just see one?"

The other demon narrowed his eyes, "Didn't you hear me? I DON'T ASSOCIATE WITH HALF BREEDS!" Suicchi kicked Inuyasha in the gut and sent the young hanyou flying into a bush. Inuyasha growled, the pain angering him and awakening his demon blood.

Suicchi was shocked at the power of the half demon's assault. Inuyasha leaped up and slammed him out of the tree. Fur went flying and they tumbled down a small hill. Other demons, sensing a fight, crowded around. Inuyasha and Suicchi were deadlocked; however, somehow Inuyasha gained the upper hand and was starting to inflict some serious damage. That was when everyone else joined in. Inuyasha was flung off his opponent and soon, about six or seven sets of fangs and claws were turned onto him. Blinded by anger, Inuyasha dove into the midst of the fight, and was only stopped when his father dug him out.

All the other parents gathered around, angry eyes glaring down upon the banged up puppy eared demon. Inuyasha glared right back, his pride and anger burned in his golden eyes. Inutaishu stood up.

"That abomination should never have been born!"

"What were you thinking when you sired him Lord Inutaishu?"

"How could you possibly allow this half breed's existence?"

"He'll be an embarrassment to your name! A stain in your bloodline!"

Inuyasha's eye lit up and his upper lip lifted up in an angry snarl. Inutaishu put a warning hand on his young pup's head and spoke up.

"This 'half breed' as you all so poetically put it, is my son, and I will not tolerate disrespect. Besides, I find it difficult to hold any of your comments true regarding my son. Apparently he's good enough to fend of full demons said to be the stronger amongst themselves, and my son has certainly done nothing that would be considered, 'embarrassing'."

There was angry murmuring, but the dog lord was right. The hanyou had injured the other, older, demons more than they had to him. It was an unsettling thought, and they quickly dispersed. Inuyasha looked up at his father.

"Papa? Do I dirty our family name beyond any possible repair?" Inutaishu jump started.

"Where did you hear that?" The dog lord bent down to carry his son in his arms.

"Sesshomaru said so," Inuyasha said, "He said that I'm a waste of biogenetic mass." Inutaishu frowned; this was no way for any child to grow up.

"Papa?" Inuyasha asked, drawing his father's attention back to the hanyou, "what's biogenetic mass?"

xxx

"Kikyo!" Inuyasha called, completely elated that she bothered to show up at all, "Hey, you weren't waiting long were you?"

The miko shared with him a slow, distant smile, "No, I wasn't, shall we begin?"

Inuyasha hurriedly set out the blanket and plates while Kikyo brought out the picnic.

"It's so nice that we can still spend time together," Kikyo said smoothly, "You've been so busy with those two new students, I was afraid you would forget about me."

"What are you crazy?" Inuyasha said quickly, "Those two are just a pain in the ass, I'd never choose them over you."

"I'm afraid to even take that chance," Kikyo muttered to herself before standing quickly to tell him what she came here to say.

XXX

When Inuyasha cried out in his feverish sleep, Kagome's eyebrows puckered in fright. The departed miko's heart went out to the slumbering hanyou. 'What is he dreaming about?' Kagome wondered, 'What could be so bad?'

"Kikyo…" Inuyasha mumbled in his sleep, "Why…? You…"

Kagome gathered herself up with her power and positioned herself so that Inuyasha's head rested upon her lap. She gently stroked his flyaway hair and murmured to him the way her mother used to when she had nightmares. Kagome's soft, lilting voice seemed to sooth Inuyasha, and it sent him into another dream, another fragment of his rocky life. Kagome smiled to see his face become lax and his shiftiness ceased.

xxx

"Auntie, look!" a familiar little female voice cried behind him, "that boy has doggy ears! Can I have doggy ears too?"

"Hmph," Inuyasha sniffed to himself, thinking, 'you don't want 'em, trust me.'

"Hush, Kagome, don't go near him, he's a demon, he's dangerous!" the girl's aunt warned, obviously unhappy with her niece's interest with the strange looking boy.

"But… ok," the girl said. Inuyasha chanced a quick glance behind him as his mother wandered off in search of a new skirt. The girl seemed to be about five or six, just a year or so younger than himself. The aunt murmured something about going to get her daughter and to not go anywhere. The girl's eyes roamed the store for a bit, wide in curiosity before finally settling once again upon the hanyou. Inuyasha panicked briefly as the girl started to approach him.

"Hi! My name's Kagome!" the girl said cheerfully, her voice bubbly and casual, "What's your name?"

Inuyasha took a moment to collect himself before answering, "Inuyasha. Why are you talking to me? I thought your aunt told you not to come near me."

"Aw, she worries too much, besides, you don't look dangerous, you look lonesome, so I wanted to see if you wanna talk."

"Keh," Inuyasha said, his heart beginning to thump at the prospect of someone, even if she was human, who wanted to talk to him. "I'm not that lonely, I got plenty of demon friends." '…not.'

"Wow really!" Inuyasha's eyes widened at her enthusiasm. "What are they like? Do they all have cute puppy ears like you?"

"Uh…"

"Oh my, Inuyasha, wont you introduce me to you friend?" Both kids looked up into a young, beautiful smiling face. Izayoi's eyes gleamed in hope that her son had finally found a friend.

"Oh, mom, this is -,"

"Kagome! I told you not to go near that demon!" Kagome spun around startled as her aunt, dragging a girl who could be Kagome's twin, rushed up to her, firmly taking hold of her wrist, and began to pull Kagome away. Inuyasha bewilderedly watched the trio leave, his heart beginning to sink. Izayoi's heart, too, plunged as the lonely pair watched the girl go, her small, whining protests echoing in their ears.

"But Auntie! He's not bad, his name's Inuyasha and he…"

XXX

Kagome smiled ruefully as she played with the small triangles that sat crookedly atop the demon's head.

"Silly, silly Inuyasha," she murmured in response to his fitful sleep, "Don't you know big boys don't have nightmares?"

Inuyasha mumbled something in response but continued to dream, hearing her voice through his sleepy mind.

Kagome laughed, "Nah, I lied; even big bad boys like you are afraid of some things, ne?"

XXX

Inuyasha wondered about his house worriedly. He hadn't seen the ghosty all day and it was really starting to annoy him. Usually, she'd hang around him day and night and drive him insane, but now, it was the tense silence hanging around him that was driving him mad. Where was she? He needed someone to pester dammit!

Inuyasha scooped up the cordless phone by the kitchen counter and sauntered down the hall, absently punching in a sequence of numbers.

Ring!

Ring!

"Hello?"

"Hey, lecher, ya busy?"

"Why Inuyasha, how rude of you to refer to me, a holy man, in such a disrespectful way." Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"I'll 'refer to you' nicer when you learn to keep your stinkin hands to yourself." He heard Miroku sigh in the background. Suddenly, a noise erupted from the room just down the hall. 'What the Bee-.'

"Say, Inuyasha? Who's playing the piano?"

Inuyasha rushed towards the room, as well as the rest of the family.

"…Inuyasha? Ya still there…?"

"…Kagome…?"

"Wha…? You got a girl over? Man! What didya do? Kidnap her?"

Click

XXX

Kagome was lost. She was utterly lost. The bars flew past her, the notes enveloped her and the rich mellow tones from the large instrument filled her ears and heart. She hadn't even noticed her body suddenly become heavy, and opaque as her heart danced. A certain warring family noticed however.

All four residents of the house stood astounded as the reincarnation of Mozart played. Kagome sat there… in plain sight. All three demons could smell her perfectly well and Izayoi sensed her spiritual powers with painstaking clarity. How could someone so radiantly powerful have entered the house without any one of them noticing! But as quickly as it started, it stopped, as soon as Inuyasha whispered her name, "…Kagome…?"

Then, many things happened at once. Both Inuyasha and Inutaishu started yelling, Izayoi walked over to where the young girl had disappeared and waved her hand through it a few times, and Sesshomaru stalked off with a huff, deciding that if he couldn't understand it, then it didn't exist and was therefore a hallucination.

"Inuyasha! Tell you mother to stop tickling me!" Kagome shrieked, making Inuyasha wince, and glare at the now, invisible ghost.

"Ma, she wants you to stop that." Izayoi looked startled and puckered her mouth into an 'oh', and ceased her unintentional torture.

"How do you know what she wants!" Inu-Papa asked frantically, nose sniffing like crazy and eyes bugged out and were snapping to and fro, making his head whip around at the tiniest sound or movement.

"…Because she's sitting right there," Inuyasha pointed, "and she said so…?"

Inutaishu's head snapped back to the piano bench, where Kagome was sitting. She shifted around nervously and squeaked out a soft 'hi'. It, however, fell upon deaf ears.

"Inuyasha, I don't see or smell anyone."

"Uh…"

Kagome glanced around nervously, and then hit a few keys on the piano to gather the family's attention. Izayoi's eyes were wide in confusion and Inu-papa's nose was twitching incessantly now, making Kagome giggle as she watched it. Kagome drew her finger through the thin layer of dust waiting for her next weekly clean up on the piano lid and wrote, "Hello, my name is Kagome, and I died five months ago."

The two adults in the room paled considerably, but Inuyasha looked angry, "You just come out and say it so God damn easily to them? I had to frigging squeeze it outa ya!"

"Inuyasha," Izayoi cut in, "You knew about her?"

"Uh… well, you see-," Inuyasha started, cut off by Kagome as she hit a few more notes. On the lid of the piano under the first sentence, there was written, "Well, you were being rude, and besides, I think it's about time I was introduced to everyone, you ARE all living in MY house."

"But, I bought it!" Inu-Papa cried, still not quit making sense of it all. Kagome began writing furiously.

"And who do you think caused the prices to get so ridiculously cheap? Who keeps the entire house spick and span for all of you?"

"Uh…" Inu-papa said intelligently.

"I thought so," Kagome wrote smugly, Inuyasha in the meanwhile, fought a grin as he watched his father, the mighty Inutaishu, become flustered under the ghost's fingertips.

"I see now," Izayoi said, glancing nervously at Inu-papa, who was currently beginning to feel his temper in his eardrums. Before her husband could lose his temper, she began to usher him out of the room, "I didn't realize that all this time we'd had a house-mate. I'd like to thank you for keeping my son such good company and I'd like to get to know you more if that's possible."

"Kagome just nodded," Inuyasha said when Kagome forgot her current state of invisibility. Inu-papa still looked confused and ready to give this… thing a piece of his mind, in a very violent way, forgetting that she wouldn't feel it in the least bit.

"Ah, wha? I – uh…? It… but…" Inutaishu stuttered, guttural noises slipping past his throat. Inuyasha's mother hastily bowed towards the ghost and then placed a delicate hand on her husband's shoulder.

"Now, now dear," she said soothingly, "I believe it's time to finish with that business letter you were in the process of completing." 'Well, more like being forced tooth and nail to get of his lazy butt, but whatever I suppose.' Izayoi cheerily ushered him out of the room, winking at the space where she assumed the ghost resided and then the two teens were alone in the empty music room.

"You sure have got interesting parents!" Kagome giggled, settling back down onto the piano bench. Inuyasha, however, remained motionless, 'dammit… where's Sesshomaru…?'

"Uh… Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, confused with his non-responsiveness.

'Dammit again, my secret's out!'

A bit possessive now aren't we?

"Earth to doggy boy!" Kagome said, "Come in puppy ears!"

Inuyasha blinked and caught Kagome's wrist as her hands waved in front of his face. "keh" was all he said as he marched out of the room. Just as he closed the door on what he was sure was Kagome's face, music once again began to spill out of the room. Inuyasha peek inside again to see Kagome swaying deeply to the music she roused from her flowing fingertips. With a sigh, Inuyasha dropped down to the floor to listen to the music and be wrapped in the ghost's scent as it grew stronger.

XXX

"So why did you suddenly become solid when you were playing piano?" Inuyasha asked later that night. He was reclined on his bed and Kagome lay upside down above him like they always positioned themselves in the evening after Inuyasha's homework was done. This was how she learned of Miroku; the perverted lecher whom Kagome insisted wasn't as bad as Inuyasha made him out to be. He also told about Sango, a girl Kagome was beginning to feel a curious need to meet.

"I told you before you when I'm really happy or sad, I become visible and stuff for no apparent reason." Kagome said, a smile playing on her lips as she gazed down at the scowling hanyou. It wasn't fair that he looked so cute when he pouted while she looked like a fish with oversized lips.

"Do you really get THAT happy by just playing piano?" the male in mention asked, unable to believe what he was hearing, it was just a loud banging instrument if you asked him.

"Yeah, it's called high on life!" Kagome said happily.

XXX

Izayoi faced where presumably, the ghost haunting this house was. They were at a table and the living woman had placed a key board and monitor for the ghost to speak through, ready and running in front of the both of them.

"So…" She began, "How is it that you came into becoming a ghost?"

And so set off a long conversation in which the mansion's new mistress learned more than she ever wanted to know about pain and sorrow. However, the story the ghost told her was a happy one, full of light and laughter and a change of heart. Izayoi was surprised to find out about a certain department store memory that she'd long forgotten about and learned about a certain girl who'd caused heart break for both the ghost and her son.

"You mentioned strange things happened around you while you were alive?"

-Yeah, like when I'm scared or hurt-

-I guess I have miko power or whatever-

-but I can't call them like Kikyou could-

-they just came and went, I hade no control over it-

-I remember once, this guy was approaching me in this creepy… wolfish kind of way-

-I just looked at him, and it looked like this white light punched him and sent him meters away-

-it's weird… cuz Kikyou's powers never did that…-

"Tell me one more thing," Izayoi said finally, "Do you know why you haven't moved on?"

-I… don't know-

-I think there's something I have to do…-

-I've even tried using my own power to get rid of me-

-Never worked-

-I think there's something I have to do-

-Something so important that dying is no excuse-

-But I don't know-

-What that something is-

-Oh! By the way, if you're thinking about exorcising me, I suggest you don't waste time or money, three families tried about a dozen times, and well… I'm still here…-

"I see," Izayoi said, "Well, I don't have any intention of exorcising you. It's nice to see Inuyasha has some company for once. And whatever that something is, I hope you do it and find your peace."

-Haha thanks…-

XXX

Kagome forced her hand very nearly into her mouth in an attempt to remain silent as she overheard Inuyasha's argument with this so called monk in training at the front door.

"Inuyasha! You have to come out of your shell at some point in your life!" the male voice that Kagome assumed was Miroku cried in exasperation.

"I don't have a shell! What the hell are you talking about?" Inuyasha's angry voice shot back.

"I'm talking about you and me going to the school dance to mingle with other teenagers as is a custom to NORMAL beings in this society!" Miroku said, his strange polite tone strained with frustration.

"Well I don't want to so BEEP off!"

"Inuyasha! Is that any way to speak to your friend?" Izayoi asked, fixing a silent reprimanding stare toward Inuyasha.

"I agree Inuyasha," Miroku chirped in, "Is that any way to speak?"

"Grr…" Inuyasha mumbled, "Just go to your dance and do what ever the hell you want!" With that, he slammed the door, ears twitching irritably as he heard Miroku tell Sango about the conversation while laughing at the silly antics of their half demon friend. After muttering a quiet apology to his mother, Inuyasha quickly ascended the stairs, only to bump into a not quite so tangible human girl who burst into laughter and was floating upside down above him.

"What the HELL do YOU want!" Inuyasha screamed, annoyed and ticked off like he'd never been before.

"Nothing," Kagome laughed, "I just want to know why you don't like dances so much?"

Izayoi glanced up at her son as he yelled at the ghost that supposedly was there. She'd never seen her son so lively before. Even when he came home complaining about those two humans at school, he wasn't so spirited. She smiled grudgingly at her son as he yelled and hollered his way back to his room, perhaps, this is for the better. She winced when Inuyasha bellowed something indiscernible that left her ears ringing, 'I just hope they don't make each other deaf!'

XXX

"Aw, come on! Who in his right mind wouldn't go to a dance?" Kagome whined, determined upon trying to wheedle a reasonable answer from him.

"I frikking wouldn't, that's who!" Inuyasha yelled.

"But why not? They're fun! And you get to dance!" Kagome pushed, ready for any retort he threw at her.

"Like I'd dance at one of those stupid things," the hanyou grumbled.

Kagome caught his eyes in a hard stare, "You don't know how to dance." It was a simple statement, but it stung him. He wasn't sure why either, he'd gotten along fine without dancing before. It wasn't until he watched Kagome dance right in front of him when he realized that there might be something, an important something, that he was missing about those ridiculous events.

Kagome didn't give him time to react. "Come on!" she said, grabbing a CD from his now growing collection and a clawed hand before flying out the room, down the hall and into the spacious den that used to be her uncle's study room.

XXX

Inuyasha surrendered to himself to a small smile that slowly grew into a full blown grin. Kagome's laughter could be heard only to him as she altered his arms and rotated his hips this way and that. Sesshomaru stuck his head in and scowled, 'Great, now the half-pint is playing with imaginary friends.' The same expression stuck on his face as he walked away from the den his brother was occupying, stubbornly refusing to believe that they were living with a ghost.

"Now, just stay in this position and bounce up and down," Kagome instructed, the CD playing in the background. Inuyasha grudgingly did as he was told, blushing profusely when Kagome's face lighted with a mirthful grin.

"I feel like a monkey," Inuyasha growled, trying to sound upset. He didn't fool Kagome.

"You look like a monkey, and a one sick too," Kagome giggled as she watched him attempt to dance to the elusive beat of the music she'd put on, but succeeding only in doing a strange variation of a grind. Mechanically challenged, that's what he was. 'Maybe break dancing is more his style…'

Kagome sighed, "Let's try something different?"

"Keh…" Inuyasha muttered, embarrassed and giddy from the soft touches the ghost left on his skin as she adjusted his position leaving him scrambling from words.

Kagome backed up and asked him to watch her, before she lowered her body to the ground as a new song began to play from the stereo, one with heavy percussion. Inuyasha watched impressed as Kagome moved through some basic steps she'd learned in break dancing before getting up and asking Inuyasha to try.

It took him a little while, but Kagome was right, it was more his style. They switched off, Kagome showing him something new, and Inuyasha mimicking her water like movements. As he fell down for perhaps the 3 dozenth time, Kagome clapped her hands, "I think you're getting it!"

The demon grumbled something, but still concentrated on the step Kagome had taught him moments before. She was starting to demonstrate gestures moving away from break dancing and more toward hip hop and jazz, but he was beginning to catch on, and soon forgot she was even there.

Inuyasha continued to struggle with his 'moves' beginning to feel a strange new tingle spreading slowly through his veins. The beat was hypnotizing, and feeling his body move in unison, if awkwardly bobbing, with the beat was strangely compelling. He may just be dreaming, but he was beginning to feel lighter than air.

'High on life huh?'

* * *

_"Let your life lightly dance on the edges of time like dew on the tip of a leaf" Rabindranath_


	4. Beneath the Winter Snows

Disclaimer: i dont own inuyasha

um... yeah this isnt really that good but wutever...

* * *

Almost Tangible  
By Kitty 

_I think I see; now I know what it's like to be alone. It's a throbbing ache within my chest, a painful pulse that never rests. There's no one here that knows my heart, different from the rest, always set apart. I don't know what it is I want, but still I search in forgotten haunts. I reach out, and then draw back. It's like not breathing when air I lack. But I'm learning, grasping, growing. And then one day, I'll find the missing piece of my heart. I'll find it here, where it's long been waiting from the start.

* * *

_

Chappie 4: Become a Rose

* * *

In the first few weeks of her death, Kagome fell into a great number of fits, each terrifying the current inhabitants of the house so greatly, that they soon moved out. Kagome was just about as suicidal as a ghost could be, trying to use her own holy powers to remove her from the sharp pain in her soul. It was painful, yes, to be a ghost. The first memories that drift through your mind are those of your loved ones' faces, twisted with grief and tears. But then, after that, you remember where, how and why you died. And for Kagome, it was matched with regret, anger and anguish. Why, she continually asked herself. Why did she rush out into the street like that? For a cousin who'd never truly loved her, for a cousin who laughed when she was buried. Kagome's soul felt a pain more real than any she'd felt in her physical body when those sorrows and questions filled her heart and then the fits occurred. The first one was the strongest. Added to the confusion of becoming a being that wasn't truly there, her ghostly powers shattered glass and drew blood from her once adopted family. They moved out quickly enough, leaving her alone in a large mansion. The second time, the family that lived there had tried numerous exorcisms, each one canceled by her own holy power and rendered ineffective. And the trend continued until no one wanted the house. The furniture was much the same as it was when she lived there in a mortal shell. And during her month of solitude in the abandoned residency, she finally learned to come to terms with her pain, and froze it, so that it would no longer torment her. But it was still there, and it was melting. The golden rays from his fierce, yet tender glances were slowly thawing her ragged heart, but they also triggered a flood.

* * *

"My GOD! You'd think people never saw anyone dance before!" Inuyasha said to her one night. Kagome had finally convinced him to go out and attend a dance, much to Miroku's delight. 

Kagome laughed, "Well, they've just never seen you dance before." The ghost happily listened to his story. Apparently, a wolf demon challenged our beloved hanyou and the entire school got the surprise of their lives when Inuyasha smoothly changed gears, not stopping for anything for a full three songs, and performed on the gymnasium floor.

"I kinda wish you coulda been there," Inuyasha said, surprising Kagome with the sincerity of his voice, "They did some couple dances, and I wanted to try it, but…"

Inuyasha trailed off as Kagome giggled, "Silly, if I were there and danced with you, you'd be shipped off to some loony bin. Don't forget, normal people can't see me."

Inuyasha sniffed indignantly, "Of course I didn't forget, I just wished we could've that's all."

Silence stretched between the two young adults as the words Inuyasha spoke sank into both of their minds. A blush crept slowly up his cheeks when Inuyasha realized just how sentimental he sounded and move to correct that little slip up.

"I- I mean…"

"I know what you meant. I wish we could have danced together too." Kagome said quietly. She played with her hair for a little bit before continuing, "But, if you really wanna learn to slow dance, I can teach you, so that you can ask a girl at the next dance."

'But I wanted it to be you…' Inuyasha thought as the ghost moved to turn down the light and he felt her presence dissipate as she left him to face his dreams alone that night.

* * *

Kagome lay back against the wall, frowning. She suddenly was getting a strange tingling feeling of wrongness whenever she moved through walls. Inuyasha had also commented recently that her 'stench' was becoming stronger. So… what on earth is going on? Oh well, whatever, deal with things as they come. Kagome stared at the mirror which reflected a slight waver in the air to show the apparition. She smiled grimly at it. Five months. Five long months and so little had changed. And then, in only two, so much has. 

Kagome opened her window and gazed out into the lawn, remembering how once, as a little girl she ran through the grass, barefoot and carefree. She also remembered learning to dance out there in that lawn with her Auntie and eventually her uncle became her partner. And then she remembered teaching Inuyasha to waltz out there in that lawn. She shivered, remembering how his touch suddenly did strange things to her. How his fingers had made her tingle and scramble for words she suddenly forgot how to use. She stretched out and slowly moved her arms and legs to a silent waltz, humming a little. The steps grew more complicated and her arms flowed about her, sometimes hovering at her sides like thin, slender wings, sometimes framing her face in a small halo. Something pushed at her lips and she obliged, filling the little room with her voice. Softly, she sang under her breath, her feet providing a rhythm for her song.

_"Forgive me… Don't know where to start  
I guess we've come to… the serious part  
I need to find out… If there's a chance… for us?  
Don't give me that same old look,  
It won't win me over  
Don't give me that same old speech,  
You don't have to speak at all…_

_You can say you love me  
That I'm your perfect crush  
How it hurts to need someone that much  
You can swear you mean it  
But that ain't good enough  
Cuz when a man loves a woman, it is all…  
In his touch…"_

Inuyasha turned in his sleep, ears cocked and listening to the sweet soprano that lilted to his room from the neighboring one. Inuyasha smiled to himself, he couldn't ask for a better lullaby.

_"I wish you could see  
Just how simple…  
It's supposed to be…  
Cause now that we've come this far,  
We don't want to lose it  
If you wanna win my heart,  
Baby, just shut your mouth…_

_You can say you love me  
That I'm your perfect crush  
How it hurts to need someone that much  
You can say you mean it  
But that ain't good enough  
Cuz when a man loves a woman it is all…  
In his touch"_

Kagome twirled in graceful circles, weightless and careless again. Music rejuvenated her. It brought her into that world between the fabrics of time and space and introduced her to the limitless, boundless universe of mortal feelings. Emotions the dead no longer felt seeped into her mind. The joy of being, of simply existing. She felt the unexplainable, wordless tremors in her spine, the elixir of life filled her lungs and heart and pure, unrestrained freedom bloomed from within her soul.

She did a couple balancés and a graceful tour jeté and continued singing.

_"Then words don't mean that much…  
You can say you love me  
That I'm your perfect crush  
How it hurts to need someone that much  
You can say you mean it  
But that ain't good enough  
Cuz when a man loves a woman, it is all  
In his touch…"

* * *

_

"SURPRISE!" Miroku cried, followed by Sango's enthusiastic cry, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

SLAM!

"AW, come now Inuyasha! Come celebrate with us!" Miroku pounded on the door, which was promptly opened quickly to reveal a pretty young woman a year or so younger than himself and Sango.

"Oh… excuse me young lady, would you mind bearing…" Miroku's eyes widened to an unsurpassed degree. The ghost's once cheerful, welcoming face suddenly looked indignant and Miroku's head promptly snapped to once side, a red handprint glowing across his cheek.

"No, I will NOT bear your child, for three reasons," Kagome huffed, "One, I'm underage. Two, so are you. And three, THE DEAD CANNOT BEAR CHILDREN!"

"Miroku… what's going on?" Sango asked, confused as to who the young man was talking to, why his head snapped to the side so suddenly and how did that palm shaped welt get onto the lecher's face.

Miroku rubbed his sore cheek, his mind reeling, "Please accept my apologies my lady, but I had quickly realized that you were unable to fulfill my wish, and thus why I didn't complete my request. It was unnecessary for your reaction to be so fiery."

"Miroku!" Sango cried, confused and growing upset. Suddenly, she felt a slight shiver crawl across her skin… 'Oh my God! This house is haunted!'

"Ah, Sango," Miroku turned his attention to his companion; "you feel it, do you not? This house is apparently haunted by the charming presence of the spirit standing – floating – before you. Oh, I forgot, you're mostly sensitive to evil presences… Ah, well, trust me; she's standing – floating – before us right now."

Changing gears quickly, Miroku once again turned to the, now startled, ghost of the premises, "I again extend my dearest apologies my lady, and, if I may, request your graces in the form of your name?"

'Good grief, no wonder Inuyasha gets so easily pissed off with this guy!' Kagome thought in bewilderment before answering, "My name's Kagome Higurashi, welcome to my house."

"And I am Miroku Takahashi A/N: for lack of a more creative name and I'm not Japanese so…" the monk in training introduced himself, bowing again.

"And my name is Sango," the female at Miroku's side said, "Nice to meet you Kagome."

Both Kagome and Miroku blinked, "My lady, Sango, how on earth did you know this lady's name? I wasn't aware you were able to hear?"

"I… didn't," Sango mumbled, "I just remembered hearing Inuyasha muttering about somebody named 'Kagome' one day, you know, the day he gave that speech in grammar class?"

The three at the door started laughing at the memory, each recollecting something different. It had been two weeks ago, and a speech assignment with free topics. Inuyasha's ghostly tutor had suggested a speech on the detrimental effects of delivering speeches on the deliverer and deliveree. Kagome smiled on the memory of researching the topic with her doggy eared companion and they made a master piece and left the classroom silent in awe struck shock.

* * *

It was a bogus idea, an incredibly ludicrous bogus idea. But one that could, surprisingly, be backed up by quite a bit of scientific sounding, bogus evidence. But hey, they were finding good stuff about it! 

"Hey, Inuyasha! Look at this!" Kagome cried, gleefully scrolling up and down a webpage.

"I will if you could just hold it still!" Inuyasha grumped, not at all happy with the current condition of his bogus speech.

"This is great! Psycho-trauma, emotional instability, mental inefficiencies! By the time you finish your speech, giving one will have become a federal offence!" Kagome giggled helplessly at the prospect.

Kagome turned her attention to library books that littered the small study. The history of oral literature, Speeches for dummy's, conducting Speeches, Oral Oppression, Hitler's Tongue; all these sources found circulating the simple topic, the bad side of speeches.

"What the hell does all this mean!"

* * *

"Oi! What in hell are you guys laughing at? And what the heck are you still doing here?" 

All heads turned to see a grumpy hanyou coming to the door. Inuyasha gave Kagome a glare for opening the door for the two humans and purposefully slammed the door again. 'Good thing I'm a ghost…' Kagome thought wincing, 'or that door would have definitely left a bruise.'

"Inuyasha! They only want to celebrate your birthday!" Kagome cried, horrified that he'd be so rude to people with only well wishes.

Inuyasha, on the other hand, sniffed, "Feh, they don't even KNOW when my birthday is! They always bug me like this, well, Miroku does at least, Sango just follows him around cuz she's got a major crush on him or something."

A muffled, "I DO NOT!" could be heard through the thick wooden door, impressing Kagome by the strength of Sango's voice.

Undaunted, Kagome tried again, "But they only want to spend time with you! What's so bad about that?"

"Yes, Inuyasha," Miroku's cheerful voice called, "What can you possibly find so appalling about our company?"

Inuyasha growled deep in his throat, something within him snapping. What's so bad? Their reputations that's what. Didn't they know if they hung around him, the rest of the world would turn their backs on them? Not only that, but both are born from very anti-demon families. Doesn't that sound suspicious? For the two of them to be so interested in him? What'd he do to them to put himself on their radar? Why won't they just leave him alone!

"Just _beep_ leave me ALONE!" Inuyasha cried, stomping away, back to his room. Kagome hovered there stunned for an instant, before quickly popping through the door to apologize for the hanyou.

* * *

Deciding to give the half demon some breathing room before checking up on him, Kagome dawdled in hers for a while, reorganizing her things and adding another entry to her journal. As dusk began to fall, Kagome put everything neatly away and herded some dust out the window. That done, she hurried to find Inuyasha, worry etched into her pretty face as she found his bent form huddled in the same corner of the room he'd taken to curling up in during new moon nights. 

"Inuyasha?" Kagome called softly, not wanting to disturb his silent brooding, yet concern for him urging her heart strings to take action.

"What if… it happens again?" Kagome blinked. What?

"Huh?" she inquired, slowly making her way closer to him.

"What if it happens again?" Inuyasha whispered, a slight tremble to his voice she barely registered. What if what happens again? Kagome wondered. What was he talking about?

"It's too similar, just way too similar," Inuyasha muttered, a growl seeping into his tortured voice. Kagome had by then come within arms reach of Inuyasha, but, unsure of herself, couldn't do any more than just watch.

"SHE reached out to me, too, was the one to make friends with ME," Inuyasha said, coming very close to babbling, "and SHE was holy, too, but she convinced me she didn't care!"

Kagome, forming a slight idea of who this 'she' was, listened silently to his rant, every whispered word twisted her heart with pity and hurt. Inuyasha wouldn't face her; he sat toward the wall, his head resting heavily on it and a thin layer of sweat rubbing onto where his forehead met the plaster.

"But in the end, SHE only wanted to get rid of me! SHE used me then left me. What if it happens again?" Inuyasha said angrily, hatred turning his voice and heart so bitter Kagome shivered in fright.

"What'd I do DAMMIT! It WON'T happen again!" Inuyasha cried to the wall, his fists clenching in his cross legged lap and digging into his palms, his nails began to draw blood. He will never open his heart like that again; never entertain any thoughts of friendship and affection toward another living being. It hurt too much. It hurt to accept pity and it hurt to take the blow while bearing your soul to trust. Hadn't he learned his lessons well enough as a pup? Hadn't he been beaten enough in middle school? Why was his heart full with so much yearning when it knew it will only end in pieces? Suddenly, he gasped, feeling something lean heavily on his back, and shy, gentle arms encircle his waist. The scent of fear was heavy around her, but it wasn't the fear he'd expected. It was worry, a fear for him that her scent broadcasted. It was worry and sadness that tinged her otherwise sweet, clean scent. Despite himself, he sighed, the tension from earlier slowly loosening as though her mere presence was enough to undo the massive knot around his heart.

"It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance," Kagome whispered. Inuyasha almost missed her soft utterance.

"Huh?" he asked, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Amanda McBroom," Kagome said softly, "American composure."

Inuyasha huffed, muttering that that was stupid and what the hell was the point? Kagome just laughed softly, kneeling behind the dog demon and reveling in the strength she felt beneath the soft fabric on his back.

"She understood that life hurts," Kagome told him, "but she also understood that joy and hurt comes together in one neat package. You can't turn away from Miroku and Sango, Inuyasha. Take what they're offering you and let them have your friendship. You may find that that's all they want."

"Keh, and what if that's NOT what they want?" Inuyasha, always the pessimist, argued.

"Well, then they will lose something very precious, which you can give to the next person who asks to be you friend, and hopefully, they wont throw it away."

"They always throw it away…" Inuyasha grumbled, then snorted, "It's 'cause 'It' isn't worth having."

"It's very worth having. People just don't always see it, or ignore how worth while it is. They're afraid, too. They're afraid you're really the cold hearted demon they heard you were." Kagome pressed her face against the crook of his neck and giggled as the soft fur there tickled her nose.

"And what if I AM the cold hearted demon they thought I was?" Inuyasha said sarcastically.

"Then I would have chased you out of here within the first week." Kagome replied coolly.

"Keh," Inuyasha snorted again.

"You're too thick skulled," Kagome said suddenly, "It's late, be a good puppy and go to bed, now." And she disappeared before Inuyasha could even give a retort.

He did go to bed. But he didn't sleep. In his mind, thoughts whirled in a violent hurricane of suppressed feelings. 'She thinks you're worth while.' 'She never said that, she was just trying to make you feel better.' 'But she implied it.' 'Keh, who'd ever think a dirty hanyou was worth while?'

"She would…" The two words echoed in his mind and in the silence around the room. 'Nah, no one, not anyone, even someone as seemingly good hearted as HER, would EVER think I'm worth while.'

* * *

Humming under her breath, Kagome hurried about the house, cleaning and organizing it from top to bottom. Somewhere downstairs, somebody sneezed. Now that everyone knew she was in the house, she could float around unhindered, dusting, cleaning and polishing. Not only that, but she was even welcome at the dinner table, with a pencil and paper of course, much to both Inuyasha's and his brother's ire. 

"So how was your day today Kagome?" Izayoi asked politely.

'Horrible, your little puppies are so messy!'

"Who're you callin' puppy!" father and son cried out at once. Sesshomaru simmered silently.

Izayoi giggle behind her hand as she loaded her husband's plate with more food to keep him occupied as Inuyasha held a staring contest with Kagome.

"You're very much a puppy, Inuyasha," Kagome said matter of factly. She reached out and tweaked his nose before he could retort and giggled at his cross-eyed expression.

Suddenly, Seshoumaru jumped to his feet, a dawning expression appearing on his face. Everybody at the table turned to look at him in confusion.

"Ghost," he started, his voice and face completely controlled, "are you the one who dared to touch this Sesshomaru's hair?"

'Why yes I am, you have very silky hair might I add.'

Izayoi held her breath as the rest of the family waited for Sesshomaru to react.

* * *

Inuyasha fidgeted nervously in front of the door. Miroku laid a soothing hand on the demon's shoulder, surprised to feel taught muscles relax under his grip. Hesitantly, Inuyasha lifted a clawed hand to ring the doorbell. 

"Hello?" a young boy asked. He looked no older than eight or nine.

"Hi, my name is Miroku and this is Inuyasha," Miroku greeted, "we were hoping to speak with your parents."

"Ok," the boy said and quickly turned around to holler, "MOM! SOMEBODY WANTS TO TALK TO YOOOOOOUUUUUUU!"

Inuyasha's ears flew back into his head, the girl's brother is just as annoying as she was, "Oy brat, tone it down!"

The "brat" turned to look at the half demon, startled, and then his gaze flickered to the white hair and dog ears. Inuyasha braced himself.

"Wow! That's so cool! You have doggy ears! Can I touch them?" Both Miroku and Inuyasha looked baffled. 'He's definitely the wench's brother that's for sure,' Inuyasha thought.

"Who is it Souta?" an older woman asked, approaching the two unexpected guests. Inuyasha's eyes widened in shock, it was as if he was meeting an older more Asian version of Kagome.

Mrs. Higurashi glanced at Miroku's training apparel and smiled kindly, "Oh, are you here to meet with my father? He's currently in the back storage room clearing out the old artifacts."

"Why thank you," Miroku said gamely.

The woman's gaze fell upon Inuyasha and her eyes expanded as well. She stepped forward and gently took one snowy white ear with her fingers, startling Inuyasha into a frozen state of shock while Miroku cursed himself for not bringing a camera.

"Are these real?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, gently flicking the soft appendages.

"Keh, of course they are," Inuyasha said gruffly, jerking his head away.

"Heh heh, sorry, I couldn't help myself," she said meekly. Inuyasha 'fehed' but remained silent, marveling at how similar mother and daughter were. The mother led the two back to the shed where a continuous cloud of dust seemed to drift from the dark interior. Muffled curses and thumps were heard.

"Father, you have visitors," Mrs. Higurashi called before winking at the two boys and walking back to the house.

An old short man with a grey goatee stuck his head out from the building, his eyes growing wide for a moment before disappearing. The sound of crashing was heard and both Miroku and Inuyasha rushed forward to lend a hand when the man jumped out from the shed, waving a sutra and shouting, "DEMON BEGONE!"

Kagome's mother came running back crying, "What's going on?" as Miroku burst into a fit of laughter and Inuyasha ripped a useless piece of paper from his forehead.

"We're terribly sorry," Miroku said between fits of giggles, "We had come here hoping to inquire about your daughter, Kagome."

Inuyasha nearly sacked the damn monk in the face as he saw the sudden change of atmosphere, Mrs. Higurashi's face twisted with unhealed grief and the grandfather's eyes clouded with a deserted sad expression.

"Why… why don't you two come inside," Kagome's mother asked softly.

* * *

Two hours later, Inuyasha stood in front of Kagome's grave, a small bundle of wildflowers in his hand. 

_"Kagome was always such a lively child, she only visited us once a year but her spunk stayed with us all year," Mrs. Higurashi said wistfully._

Inuyasha toyed with the flowers as he read the inscription on her marker: "It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance, It's the dream afraid of waking that never takes a chance, It's the one who wont be taken who cannot seem to give, And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live… Amanda McBroom"

_"It was so evident, in the later years especially, that Kagome wasn't happy. I think she wanted nothing more than to live with both her uncle's family and her own," Kagome's grandfather shook his gruff old head, "To think her dream was just about to be realized…"_

Miroku watched his friend closely as he stood before the girl's grave. For a while now, he'd been noticing a difference in Inuyasha. Inuyasha punched him for often, which is actually an improvement considering the ignoring he and Sango had recieved before.

_"The doctors found something in her body, can you believe of all things, the Shikon No Tama! Kagome's destiny was to be something so great! Yet now it will never be…"_

"_Oh Father, stop that," Mrs. Higurashi admonished._

"_What did you do with the jewel?" Miroku inquired._

"_We burned it with her," the old man said, "It was meant for her, in this life or the next, but it was meant to be in her hands only."_

'I wonder what her wish would have been…' Inuyasha thought idly. Gently, he stooped to place the flowers tenderly by her marker. He chuckled softly, thinking about what he would say to Kagome when he told her he had visited her family. He wondered what her reaction would be.

_"Hey," Souta called softly, his dark eyes darker with the hollow yearning for his sister, "How d'you know my sis, were you friends with her?"_

_Inuyasha studied the child, "Yeah, we lost touch for a while… but we're really good friends."_

"_Were you guys… you know," Souta fumbled for words, "Going out?"_

_Inuyasha looked surprised. Where on earth did the kid get a notion like that! As if she ever would, even if they knew each other while she was alive…_

"_Keh, where'd that question come from?"_

"_Well, you seem like the kind of guy my sis would have liked…"_

_

* * *

_

"Yo, Kagome," Inuyasha greeted casually, dumping his school books in the corner and dragging out a stool for Miroku to sit on. They were in his room and were expecting Sango over soon. Miroku had kindly invited himself to the house and unexpectedly told Inuyasha that Sango was coming over. Kagome, elated at the prospect of hanging out with living people, sort of forced Inuyasha to allow the intrusion.

Sango arrived soon after and the gathering somehow tumbled down into a study session for the next day's exams. Both Sango and Miroku were extremely happy to meet the girl who had brought Inuyasha's much less than perfect grades up to a full row a A's. When the time to leave approached the group, Sango asked Kagome to the computer and they settled down to some girl talk above the brief taunting jeers of Inuyasha about their secrecy.

Kagome effectively shut Inuyasha up with a levitated math text book and the girls turned to the computer.

'So, how'd u and koinu become friends?'

Sango giggled at Kagome's nickname.

"Well, me and Miroku moved into the area at around the same time. One thing we noticed was the cruelty in the way they out-casted Inuyasha and I guess the initial reason I started to make a point of hanging out with him was out of pity." Both girls turned to the sound of Inuyasha's growling, promptly ignoring it, Sango continued, "But after a while it turned out we were more similar than we realized. I come from a small village but in my family, the eldest was taught the traditional arts of being a demon slayer."

'Gasp!'

Sango giggled, "Yeah, well, that made me stand out a bit, and a lot of the conservative people in the town were really against it, but I liked it and to spite them I would show off a little. That didn't go over really well and before I knew it, I was the social outcast. Not fun I tell you."

'Seems like there's a lot of people like that in the world…'

"Ha ha, yeah, but Miroku has a similar story-," Sango began but was cut off by a flurry of mad typing.

'Lemme guess, he was charged numerous times for sexual harassment since a young age and was brutally beat up by girls and upset boyfriends and so his social standing was slain with no hope of revival no matter how charming his noble air happened to be.'

Sango started laughing outright as Kagome deleted what she had written while Inuyasha and Miroku both sauntered over to ask what on earth was going on. By then it was time for the two guests to go their separate ways and Inuyasha and Kagome were both left to their usual comfortable silence.

"Oh yeah, I wanted to tell you," Inuyasha said, regaining Kagome's attention, "Me and Miroku went to the Higurashi shrine today."

What had he expected? Not what he got.

"You WHAT!" Kagome shrieked, her eyes wide in surprise, "WHY? WHEN?" and a tear slipped down her face as memories once again floated into her head. Why she was suddenly so emotional, she wasn't sure. It wasn't like ghosts had times of the month or anything, and she used to be pretty numb about her family. Being with Inuyasha brought such a sad yearning into her heart...

Inuyasha reached out to her, not intending to hurt her in the mention of her family. He'd only wanted to surprise her, to tell her he'd met her mother, her brother and the crazy man who called himself her grandfather. He'd wanted to ask her about them and tell them what they thought of her. She hadn't started to cry the last time she spoke of them, when she told him how she died; she was sad but not distraught. He hadn't counted on her sobbing like this.

Kagome felt his hand of her shoulder and she looked up to his worried eyes. Sniffling bravely, she straightened and said, "Sorry, I wasn't prepared for that…"

Curling up on his bed, she asked, "So, how's everybody? My mom and grandpa? How tall is Souta now?"

"They're all good, and Souta's about half my height now," Inuyasha hesitated, "They all miss you… a lot."

That did it; Kagome buried her head in the pillow, soaking real tears into Inuyasha's sheets. Inuyasha sighed and decided to mimic the cheesy romantic scenes in so many television shows. He went over to the bed and sat down gently next to the crying girl. Soothingly rubbing her back, he eased his hands under her torso to lift her gracefully into his lap. Kagome shifted her position so that she was hugging him round the waist and crying softly into his chest. Slowly, her tears abated but the two stayed there, feeling something change in their relationship yet not knowing exactly what it was. Suddenly, Kagome giggled.

"You'd make a great boyfriend," Kagome said, unable to see the blush that transformed his face into a tomato. Souta's words rang in his head, _"Well, you seem like the kind of guy my sis would have liked…"_

"Sorry I'm all emotional bout this and stuff… I just … well, I can't see them; I'm not allowed to leave the grounds… I … I … really feel like there could have been so much more to my life…"

Inuyasha had no words to say and they simply sat there for a while each holding onto something they couldn't seem to let go.

* * *

_'This is love: to fly toward a secret sky. First to let go of life. Finally, to take a step without feet'_ Rumi 


	5. My Sanity

Disclaimer: I dont own inuysasha

A/N: ok, second to last chappie XD i'm so tired... lol, oh, btw read my profole peeps! i need help desperately...

* * *

Almost Tangible 

By Kitty

_I never thought I'd feel this way. It's a strange new feeling that tickles my flesh and tingles in my blood. And now I think I'll give anything to keep that taste on my tongue, to keep that music in my ears. I think I'll give just about anything, anything to stay by your side. Death can take my body; Hell can have my soul, if only you held my heart. Hold it now, hold it forever. Keep me with you always…

* * *

_

Chappie 6: Reason to Live

* * *

"Here's when I first went to preschool. That didn't last long and I ended up getting tutored until I was nine," Kagome said, pointing to a smiling picture of herself. Inuyasha smiled at the goofy grinning girl and turned the page. 

"And that's me and Kikyou at a picnic." Inuyasha nodded slowly, gazing at the two identical girls. They really were each other's doppelgangers. Yet at the same time, they couldn't be more different. Kagome was all smiles, her grin settled on over half her face and her sparkling wide eyes took the other half. She wasn't dark, but her skin's tint definitely expressed a deep love for the outdoors. Her cheeks were as rosy as they are now and her face as alive as hers is today. Her hair perhaps even more unmanageable and wild than her thick wavy locks of present day and they glinted in the same pitch black color that he learned to know so well, their color softened by the light bleaching of the sun's effect on hair that has so often been exposed to the golden rays.

Kikyou was her exact opposite, where Kagome glowed, Kikyou shadowed. Her smile was subdued, chilly and haunted. Her eyes lacked any sign of life. The porcelain girl was thin and frail looking, and her straight black hair fell limp next to her waist. She was beautiful, but not radiant.

"Oh, and here's my baby brother," Kagome said cheerfully, pointing out a young girl carrying an over sized baby in her arms. Souta seemed to take after his mother's Asian side much more, almond eyes and round face. He was definitely her brother though, if the huge baby grin was any indication. Kagome sighed and closed the book, her eyes closed and her head titled toward the ceiling.

"Sorry… I need a break," she said, leaning on Inuyasha's shoulder.

xxx

"_Kikyou! Kikyou!" The girl in question turned and smiled, a slight twitch in the corners of her mouth._

"_Kikyou! Where were you? It's almost time to open presents!" Kagome tugged on her elder's hand urging her toward the house. Kagome looked at Kikyou almost reproachfully. They'd been living together for nine years, and for seven of those years, Kikyou had been Kagome's only friend and playmate. She felt a strange need to please the elder and the cold front she always received sent a strange feeling to her heart. Initially she shrugged it off. Only, it began to grow, and manifest itself as a hurtful bitterness toward Kikyou. Ashamed for feeling this, she always tried to hide it, taking extra care when making Christmas presents, paying extra attention to her mood. She was happy when Kikyou finally started to attend to her younger cousin with the semblance of kindness… _

… _that's why the feelings of betrayal and hatred burned so brightly when Kagome watched her cousin laughing in her room…_

… _and after they moved, the room was locked, a forbidden collection of feelings and memories, as safe haven from the world…_

xxx

"Kagome! Come back here with that!" Inuyasha roared, chasing a giggling ghost down the hall. The girl was flying away, clutching an old photo album to her chest. It was beat up and falling apart, a lock holding it shut. When she'd gone to ask Inuyasha for what was in it and a key, he had opened his eyes wide with what can only be perceived as horror before screaming for her to give it back. Naturally, Kagome's eyes brightened with a wicked glint and she took off running.

"Not until you let me see what's inside!" Kagome cried back, accidentally knocking the wind out of Sesshomaru when she careened into him, or through him rather. Sesshomaru growled and was about to let his anger be known until he caught a glimpse of the book. His eyes narrowed slightly with the same evil glint Kagome's blue irises sprouted before making off in a different direction.

Inuyasha continued to chase her, yelling and hollering throughout the house. Suddenly, Sesshomaru appeared in front of Kagome, key dangling in his clawed hand. Kagome gasped, then squealed in delight and happily took the key, much to Inuyasha's ire.

"SESSHOMARU!" Inuyasha screamed in frustration. The older demon only stared at Inuyasha with the same expressionless face before heading out of the house, not wanting to be there when Kagome saw the pictures.

"Now let's see what's in here!" Kagome cried excitedly, unlocking the album and quickly flipping to the first page. Her happy, shining eyes briefly took in the captured scene in the book before her face suddenly fell, her eye bugged out, and she started making retching sounds.

Inuyasha, huffing and puffing behind her said wearily, "Yeah… my dad like's his sake... now let's see, you could have been spared this scarring experience if you'd just listened to me."

Kagome turned dazed, unfocused eyes to the dog demon, her face purple with embarrassment and shock. From the other direction, Izayoi and Inutaishu strolled in, took one look at the book floating in the air, and both their faces became identical expressions of horrified shock.

"Does your father," Kagome whispered to Inuyasha, eyes still unfocused, "OFTEN present himself naked?"

Inuyasha tried not to guffaw in her face, though the feat was proving incredibly hard. Izayoi stepped in, leaving her sputtering husband red faced and shell shocked.

"This was a new year's party. See? Inuyasha got himself into some sake in the back too, I suppose like father like son." Kagome's eyes, unsure and stunned, traveled to where Inuyasha's slightly wicked mother was pointing. Her faced paled to a deathly white. There, in plain color, stood a young man of near fourteen, red faced and drunk, fit, handsome, doggy ears and stark naked.

Kagome fainted, if ghosts can faint, and Inutaishu began screaming, "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO BURN THAT BLASTED THING!" while Izayoi comforted her husband by explaining the importance of life lessons and memories and Inuyasha, face resembling Kagome's earlier purple as an eggplant impression, picked up the troublesome ghost and headed upstairs, shaking his head, exhausted.

XXX

Miroku didn't know why at first. He had absolutely no idea why he found Inuyasha so interesting. The guy was only a hanyou. The social outcast. But for some reason both him and Sango felt attracted to him, like a magnet. Perhaps it was the rarity of the occurrence that attracted him. A slight allure, being the only one out of so many that ever managed to survive infancy. Maybe it was the hot babe of a miko that he hung around with. What ever it was, those superficial reasons have all long been surpassed. Inuyasha was great.

He didn't know exactly when he discovered this, but it had suddenly dawned on him the day the hanyou cut classes that he missed the company. His notorious hand had isolated him from most the rest of the class. Not only that though, it was also the hostile atmosphere that hung around the room that pushed Miroku to befriend the gruff demon. He was just always in his own world, one where there was no teacher or students or anyone. He was all by himself and the world where he was could be anything he wanted it to be. Miroku liked that.

So he joined Inuyasha. It wasn't pleasant at first. Oh no, certainly not, Inuyasha cussed and chased him away. However finding amusement in the benign threats and antics of the hanyou, Miroku, unbeknown to the danger he was placing himself into, continued to pester the hot tempered young man.

It helped that the hot and lovely demon slayer girl, Sango, also seemed interested and the two of them sort of ganged up on the hanyou. It was fun, to see how far they could push the half human. And it was nice, to not be stuck in the world of everybody else, to be free of the crazy and weird rules that seem to govern society. They were out of the circle, and for once, they weren't alone and they liked it. They also noticed that Inuyasha seemed lonely, so to make up for the "debt" they owed him, they tried to befriend him.

Soon after, however, the dog hanyou seemed to go into a melt down. He skipped classes and got into fights, he was almost expelled. Then as suddenly as that happened, he did a complete 180 and was suddenly all happy. Not outwardly of course, but by then, he and Sango knew him so well that they could just tell.

Miroku gazed down at the lonely marker, its quote shining happily back up at him, "Was it you who brought this change?"

The marker answered him, "It's the one who won't be taken who cannot seem to give, and the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live…"

Miroku smiled down at the small bundle of flowers next to the grave. Every time he came to visit, mostly because of the amazing stores of knowledge in the shrine and the old man's head, he always noticed that there was always a fresh bunch of wildflowers next to her grave. Sometimes it was something nice bought from a store, but most of the time is was a bundle of simple flowers that grew at the fringe of the mansion haunted by the grave's occupant. It was kind of sadly sweet, as Sango had put it.

Miroku squinted for a closer look and noticed a strange aura hovering about the grave. It had power, a lot of power.

"The Shikon no Tama…" Miroku breathed. He remembered something Inuyasha had confided in him about, that Kagome hadn't moved on because she had something important to do. Could it have something to do with the Jewel? He cautiously reached forward, suddenly stopped by a growling mew.

"ROW!" Miroku jerked his head to the left where the fattest cat he'd ever seen sauntered up to him with amazing speed. Miroku's inner sight sensed something so strong that his spiritual radar went haywire. Then, before his eyes, the cat lost at least 20 pounds in stature and appeared before him as a youkai fire cat, two tails and all. It then changed forms, growing to tremendous height and glared at him threateningly.

"Um… I suppose you're Lady Kagome's Guardian?" Miroku said, his voice quavering.

The feline growled at him a little while more, and then sensing no danger, softened the sound to a purr of peace. Miroku, too, relaxed and his grip of his sutras went slack.

"So," Miroku started conversationally, "You must be the fire cat in the Legend, the Guardian of the Keeper of the Shikon no Tama?"

XXX

It was happening again. It was definitely happening again. All that time she'd spent locking her hurt and pain away was becoming undone and she felt her tender soul tearing again with a sorrow that ripped words from her sweet mouth in long gasping screams. She was going to fall into a fit again, a year after her death, she was losing her grip. She felt her insides crumble. She felt the superficial walls and masks of well-being begin to fade and her façade of careless bountiful energy slip away. No! Don't go! Please! Kagome pleaded with her soul, her sanity. It hurt too much, to feel every part of your soul burning with such intense anguish.

'Inuyasha…' Kagome thought desperately, trying to hold on to the one thing that held her to the world of the rationally sane; trying to hold on to the very cause of her pain. Yes, he was the cause of this pain. He brought back the familiar longings of the living, the wish for companionship, the need for touch, the want for love. All of these things which are denied from her she wanted with renewed vigor, renewed desire that shattered her resolve and pulled at her soul. 'Not again… Not again…'

Kagome slumped against the door of her room, her transparent arms wrapped around her transparent shoulders. They shook. Her entire body shook. The carefully structured walls were crumbling and there was nothing she could do about it. First one, then another, and yet another and a flood of tears poured down her solid cheeks. A choked sob reverberated from the back of her throat and her heaving lungs worked feverishly with a desperate effort to calm her quivering soul.

"Hey Kagome, you ok?"

Kagome looked up startled, then without thinking, unlocked the door to the room. Seals, suddenly devoid of any markings fluttered to the ground, Kagome stood in the middle of the room, her soul bared and spirit broken.

The sight of Kagome startled Inuyasha back a step. Before his eyes stood a girl drenched in blood. Her left side was torn almost unrecognizable. Some parts of her body were cut clear to the bone. Her face was scarred and cut and blood flowed freely from her wounds as a never ending stream of pain. There were burns on the right side of her body and there were sections on her skin that was charred black.

Hair matted and wild, there stood a specter of Kagome's likeness starring at the hanyou with lost eyes. The blue grey pools looked to him as though for rescue. They spoke to his soul, 'This is my pain. This is the pain I've gone through and continue to suffer from. This is my secret torture for all my life, the abuse, the death of a father, the betrayal of a sister and cousin, the loneliness, the discrimination, the empty fear of losing what you have yet to gain. Save me, please.'

The pure are the easiest to hurt. This angel standing before the demon had no wings. She had no halo, nor any holy light. She stood before him, bleeding, torn and fallen, yet she was the purest, most beautiful thing the hanyou had ever seen.

Inuyasha took a hesitant step forward. All those moonless nights, cowering in the corner of his room with Kagome comforting him had soothed and mended his torn heart and soul. And now he felt within his heart a strange surge of emotion that brought his left foot in front of right, then right in front of left, until he stood a single foot away from his fallen angel. Her blood stained the ground, her tears stained her cheeks and her eyes left a searing mark in his heart.

Kagome stood in the darkness, watching the demon approach her. She knew how she must have looked; it was the way she'd looked when she first woke up as a ghost. She felt the same thick warmness of the blood slowly making its way to floor. She felt the same urge to scream like she had that dreadful night it all happened.

But he still came closer. The cast away, the unwanted boy of society. The mixed breed, half blood, dirty spawn of devil and human. He continued forward, his eyes glowing with an ethereal light, and it grew. Kagome stared into the golden rays of his eyes as his arms and warmth engulfed her torn body. She felt the pain melt away. It wasn't the same numbness as it had been before. It was soothing. She closed her dead eyes as Inuyasha's beating heart thrummed in her ears.

XXX

"So… Kagome is the reincarnation of Midoriko?" Miroku asked, his faced twisted with a headache and too much information chucked at him at once. He stood by Kagome's grave, the fire cat sitting on a nearby rock.

The atmosphere was strangely serene, as though the world were waiting for something. There was tension as well. Miroku looked again at the strange aura emerging from Kagome's grave and was stunned by the array of emotions and power it broadcasted. There was peace, yet there was war. There was joy yet there was pain. There was grief, anger, sadness, happiness, life, death and hope all there. Miroku wondered how a soul could ever bear to carry such strong emotions all at once. If indeed her ghost is still in this world and haunting that house, there must be a connection between the soul and its cremated ashes, and this must be the feeling going through Kagome's heart this instant. No mortal, to being could ever hold this much feeling, Miroku thought.

The cat mewed in response and continued to lick itself, washing its delicate paws and fur sparkling clean.

"Her destiny must have been to purify the jewel," Miroku reasoned to herself, "And the only way to do that was to make a wish, a pure one."

Miroku by this time had gotten up and paced around the grave, "If she didn't in this life, her soul should be reincarnated 500 years from now to try again, like when Midoriko failed her duty."

Miroku was interrupted by a louder mew and looked to see the cat vigorously shaking its head. Miroku frowned, "No? hm… well, Midoriko fought with one hundred demons and died creating the jewel, it was hoped that she could have destroyed it but apparently it wasn't meant to be… Kagome is Midoriko's reincarnation and was born with the Shikon no Tama in her body."

Miroku's eyes widened as his excitement grew, "So, Kagome was born to finish the job! In Midoriko's writings, she had placed great importance on the balance between the humans and demons, now in a world where demons and humans live together but with a wary eye, the atmosphere is perfect to bridge the narrow gap before it fissures and separates as the tension between the two races grows. Kagome's soul is not permitted to leave this realm until is can bring the two worlds together…" Miroku paused then exclaimed, "Inuyasha!"

XXX

Kagome sighed happily in the demon's arms, feeling her spirit grow steadily stronger. Inuyasha in the meanwhile, was gazing around in deep curiosity at the ghost's belongings. Girly things like stuffed animals and pink frills were scattered among not so girly things like the large baggy pants of the male gender and action figures. Posters of once popular bands and stars decorated the walls and glowing constellations winked from the ceiling. Her bed was well made and simple, a quilt pattern dancing across the sheets. A bookshelf stood brimming with tomes, classics and contemporary literature filling its bursting shelves. A decorative Katana and Japanese bow were propped on the top and a beautifully carved fan hung from one corner. A disorganized desk stood next to the bed, a school book bag still draped across the back of the chair. On top of the desk lay a single book, worn and obviously recently used.

"One day, you'll go to college, I want you to take that book," Kagome said. Inuyasha looked at her questioningly but nodded. He shifted nervously then opened his mouth to ask:

"So, what the hell was this about?"

Both knew what he meant by "this" and both knew the answer would not come easily.

"When I first woke up after I died, that's what I looked like. It hurt a lot and I didn't savor the idea of being like this for eternity. So I tried not to think about what happened and move on. I guess the reason why I remembered again was because I never fully came to terms with it. You know, this is the anniversary of my death. It's been one full year."

Inuyasha jumped, "What!"

Kagome smiled, watching the scars on her arms and legs slowly fading away, the once ugly mars turning back into the tone of the rest of her skin.

"Yup, a whole year ago, I died," Kagome said softly, "I died and I woke up in time to watch my funeral then was suddenly whisked away into this house where I am to be stuck for all eternity. Yay for me."

"Are you always going to be in that state every year?" Inuyasha asked worriedly, he didn't think he could handle seeing Kagome in such a condition over and over again.

"Nah, I don't think so…" Kagome said, sighing happily, dreaming she was alive and in her boyfriend's arms. They weren't in her room, no, they were outside. If she imagined hard enough, she could feel the gentle breeze and smell the green scent of the outdoors. She to taste the sweetness of what she imagined his kiss would be and they would hold each other to the ends of time, little kids walking by and making disgusted sounds, elderly couples smiling knowingly as they passed. And if she could have just one wish, it would be to make this fantasy a reality.

* * *

"Fly high on the wings that are your dreams, they'll hold you up through the rain and above the stormy sea until you reach the arms of those you love" Anonymous 


	6. Wish

Disclaimer: i dont own inuyasha

A/N: right... i got sick... i'm losing my voice life sux... but oh well, gives me time to update right? BLEH...

* * *

Almost Tangible  
By Kitty 

_People always call it the miracle of Life, and Death, the unforgiving mystery. They make their way through Life fighting Death and rejoicing Birth. But Life and Death are no phenomena; Life will die and cultivate new Life again. This cycle has no mystery, no Love nor Hate, no Good nor Evil. But if in Death you find reason to Live, then I pray for you the miracle, Love, to surpass the Laws that bind the Earth and resurrect your Inner Strength. For the truest thing in all the world is the strength of your soul's Love for that of the one dearest to you. It is the hub round which the rest of the world revolves.

* * *

_

Chappie 7: A Single Wish

* * *

It was an innocent little book, corners worn from much use and a lot of care. The cover was decorated; its tearing fabric changed multiple times to fit the owner's use. It was a simply book, simply plain cover, simple plain pages. There was a story inside. There was a heart warming, heart breaking story inside. Its pages were filled with love and joy, with tears and pain, and all the emotions that spin within the heads of us mere mortals and spin around with the earth as it continues its slow path through space. 

Kagome opened this book, flipping through memorable entries, memories about a single boy…

xxx

_January 5, 1993_

_Dear Diary,_

_I met this boy today. He was really funny looking, he had dog ears. They were really cute, but for some reason they made Auntie really nervous. I don't get why but I like them. He had yellow eyes too; well I think they look more gold. Anyway, he looked like he might be the same age as me, or maybe a little older. I don't know. He was shy, I think. But he seemed friendly. I don't get why Auntie didn't like him. We didn't get to play for too long because Auntie came and said we had to leave. I wish I could've talked with him longer but that's ok. For some reason, I think we'll see each other again one day. His name's Inuyasha._

_xxx_

_May 25, 2004_

_Dear Diary,_

_Remember that entry I wrote so long ago? That unusual boy? I think he might go to my school. I saw him while I was getting my junk outa my locker. My gawd, I swear the guy didn't have a speck of fat in that system of his. Ok, fine, I think he's hot. But I'm sure most normal girls with normal, or maybe even below average, levels of hormones would think that. He didn't notice me. I hope I get to see him again soon, I hope we can get a chance to talk and who knows, lots of things can happen. Oh, and from here on out, just in case Souta gets his hands on this during my visit to America, I'm referring to him as Koinu. That way if my family really does move to Japan, I don't have to worry bout Souta blabbing._

_xxx_

_July 14, 2004_

_Dear Diary,_

_What's happening? I feel so cold…._

_xxx_

_November 21, 2004_

_Dear Diary,_

_Can you possibly believe it! Koinu is living in my house! Haha, funny how things turn out. I don't think he remembers me though, and to tell the truth, I don't really want him to. I mean, it'd be so embarrassing if he found out. And just plain weird. So yeah, he's the same as ever, those puppy dog ears are still as cute as they were when I first saw them. His 'shy' attitude certainly changed though. He needs an attitude adjustment it you ask me… oh well. This should be really interesting._

_xxxs_

_August 30, 2005_

_Dear Diary,_

Kagome set the tip of her pen to yellowing paper.

_Wow, it's been what? 14 months since I died. _

The ghost twittled the pen in her fingers, thinking about what she wanted to write. Golden eyes flashed in her mind and she smiled as she continued to write.

_Koinu and I have gotten so close. Sometimes I think he knows me better than I know myself. Hmm… you know, now's about that time of year American schools begin preparing for their homecoming dances… lol, to have Koinu as a date to that. Then I truly could have died happy. But whatever, who says I can't dream? _

Kagome's expression turned somber as she thought about the future…

_Koinu will grow up soon. He's already grown up so much. He doesn't even swear as often, or at least he doesn't call me names anymore. He even tags on a little –chan after it sometimes. What's going to happen when he goes to college? Moves out and gets a real job? Will I still be here haunting this house?_

Kagome paused before forcing her hand to continue, a tear slipping down her face.

_I … I wish so much… I just wish I could be with him, to be there for him whenever he may need me… I wish so badly that I could really be free to love him._

Kagome closed her ghostly eyes as she flipped her journal closed. He would continue to grow, while she remained as timeless as the universe. It tore her heart apart to think of being lonely and forgotten for all eternity. 'I wish I could grow with him…'

XXX

It was later that afternoon. Inuyasha would come home any minute. They would greet each other, touch hands and settle down into his room. She would help him with homework and he would tell her of his day, of Miroku and Sango. They would play together like children, board games, cards, video games. Sometimes he would get Kagome to sing for him, and then she'd pour out her soul. Kagome walked to his room and sat on his bed, trying to banish the depressing thoughts she'd been having lately and focus on enjoying the time she had with Koinu.

She slowly rubbed a small sore spot in her abdomen, idly wondering why her little inexistent body was suddenly cramping. She stared at Inuyasha's floor, gazing at the homework strewn across the rug, the clothes that seemed to hang from the ceiling and the precious moments shared within this very room.

Kagome flinched, clutching her stomach, something was wrong. Her abdomen was balling itself into knots of muscle spasms. It produced a throbbing ache in the back of her head, just where her spine connects with her skull. What was happening to her?

"Yo," Inuyasha said, entering the room, Kagome pulled out every last bit of her will to appear as though nothing's wrong. The dog hanyou seemed to sense something was amiss however.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Kagome grit her teeth and shook her head. 'It's nothing… nothing…'

"I – It's nothing…" she said softly, "How was school?"

Inuyasha sent her a worried look but said, "Not too bad, the teacher's still an ass and the kids are still idiots. Miroku groped Sango again, this time she gave him a concussion and some bruised ribs…"

Kagome couldn't hear what he was saying. She suddenly felt very cold. She felt very cold and very small. The pain in her stomach was spreading to her arms and legs, and intensifying into tiny lightning bolts of stings. Suddenly, white hot pain gripped her chest and she doubled over, moaning.

"Kagome? Are you ok? What's wrong?" Inuyasha worriedly reached out to grab her, only to find his hand slip through a patch a slightly cool air, but touching nothing. This scared him, scared the shit out of him. He froze, 'Oh gods no, please don't take her away from me.'

XXX

Kagome couldn't see, she couldn't hear. All she knew was the blinding pain and a cold shiver racing along her body :Bu-bump:. Kagome screamed, Inuyasha watched horrified as the girl in front of him opened her mouth with an unheard cry. What could he do? What was happening?

Somewhere outside, bird's rose from their perches as though startled. They flew from the direction of the graveyard. Inuyasha took a second to think about this, not wanting to leave Kagome on her own. Something must be happening to her body, he reasoned. So the only way to solve it was to go to her body, or rather, her remains. Inuyasha took one last look at the girl who'd changed his life. This girl, now crumpled on the ground and writhing in pain. Finally gathering himself up, he dashed out the window and out of sight, praying to the gods that everything will be alright.

XXX

Kagome could only see darkness, something cold and hard was pressing at her sides. Shards of pain raced up her spine, and chased each other back down. She felt something move inside her. She felt something hot, burning hot. It shifted inside of her in a rhythmic beat and it burned her from the inside out.

Kagome gasped, feeling air enter lungs that were not supposed to be there. Kagome's brain demanded more, she inhaled again. The air burned like acid. Her heart was plotting against her, it shocked her with another blinding spasm and she screamed again.

XXX

Inuyasha thought he heard something, as he raced up the steps to the shrine that held Kagome's remains. It sounded like a creature meeting its death. It sounded like pain. He rushed over to where he'd been shown Kagome's grave. The cute little tombstone sat on a tilt, and the ground below it was moist. Inuyasha could smell that it was blood. And the blood he smelt seemed oddly familiar. Not knowing what he was doing, Inuyasha got down on all fours and started digging.

XXX

Kagome couldn't breath, she was suffocating. The heat that had pulsed through her body was slowly getting weaker, and she felt the sensation once again. It was a floating feeling of icy cold sheets wrapping around you, killing you. It was the feeling of death. 'I … need … air…' Kagome's mouth was open in the likeness of a fish as she desperately worked her lungs to exhaustion in an effort to breath. 'Can't … breathe…' The cold was pressing more insistently now, she felt herself dying a second time.

XXX

"DAMMIT!" Inuyasha screamed, finding shards of clay that was undoubtedly the container which held his Kagome. The scent of blood was becoming stronger, and the earth from which he dug, though still in the chilly cold fall temperatures, felt warmer. He suddenly caught a whiff of something. It was…

Inuyasha thrust his hand deeper into the earth, surprised to feel a firm, yet soft, object buried in the dirt. It was warm. Inuyasha carefully dug around it, terrified to find that it was an arm. Digging further, he saw that the arm was connected to a torso which was connected to …

XXX

Kagome felt herself drifting away. She was ready to succumb to this sensation again, because as surely as it happened before; it would once again bring her to a new world where she could start over, burying all her pain again and leave herself painless, in a world far different than this. She slowly let go of the chord that bound her to the earth.

"KAGOME!" Kagome's eyes snapped open, and found herself starring into eyes that matched the sun. Waves of familiarity and fond memories came crashing into her mind. And slowly, a name floated to her hazy head, '… Inuyasha?'

He had her by the arm; she was floating above an icy cliff, her body tossing about in the wind. It was cut and bleeding, and from her wounds, her life poured out into the canyon below. But, she felt stronger. His hand radiated warmth and his grip was strong with desperation. He needed her. He needed her to stay. 'Don't worry; I'm not going anywhere…'

"Inuyasha…," Kagome whispered.

XXX

Inuyasha stared at her, his eyes wide in fright and terror. He'd just dug up a body… it was cold, and almost lifeless and buried where there should have been just ashes.

"Inuyasha…"

What a cruel joke, Inuyasha thought. The voice was even hers. But… this couldn't be possible. His brain screamed defiance to what was happening, but his senses urged him, told him, that it was true. This was Kagome, her body, and her soul. Her bare chest rose and fell shallowly, and in the center of her chest, a faint, fast paced pulse pumped blood through a now live body.

"Inuyasha…," she whispered again.

……

She felt his warmth leaving, his face was disappearing. 'No…' she thought, 'Inuyasha… Inuyasha…! Inuyasha!'

"INUYASHA!" Kagome sat up in bed, her pulse flying and sweat drenched her clothes. Clothes? Kagome looked down to recognize Inuyasha's favorite red plaid set of PJs. What happened?

Moment's later, Inuyasha burst through the door, "WHAT! WHAT'S GOING ON!" Kagome yelped at his sudden entrance and loud voice, her eardrums throbbed. Throbbed? Inuyasha's visage softened to see his wench awake and alive. He walked hastily to the bed and inhaled deeply to take in her scent.

"How're ya feeling?" he asked gently. Kagome paused, feeling? She was feeling everything. The sunlight's warmth on her skin, the soft tickling fabric of his clothes, his breath, her weight, she felt everything. What's going on? Kagome let out an unexpected yawn, and Inuyasha's eyes narrowed a little with a glow he saved only for her.

"Get back to sleep wench, talk tomorrow." And with that, he turned to leave, stopping only when he felt a soft tug on his arm.

"Stay with me?" Kagome asked softly, her eyes were afraid and confused, "I feel so lost…"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and allowed a tender smile to creep across his face. Nodding slightly, he sat down on the side of his bed. Kagome smiled too, weaving her fingers between his, the demon's hand dwarfing the girl's slender one. She placed it on her cheek as she turned on her side and fell into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

Inuyasha watched her, still not sure what was going on. But staring into her face and being able to feel her breath against his hand and hear her pulse, heck, he sure wasn't one to complain.

"You really had me worried," He murmured to the sleeping girl, "Trust me, your body was the last thing I expected to find. Course then Miroku had to show up and accuse me of… well stuff."

Kagome muttered softly in her sleep. Inuyasha smiled wide. What a shock it had been for his mother, to find her son come home with a naked girl (he'd wrapped her in his jacket) that had died fourteen months ago. He sure was glad his father carried so much weight around in the community. Inu-papa will have created a resurrection certificate (the first one in history) and contacted her family within a week, set up a file and had all the paper work done.

She'd slept for about three days. Her family had come to visit but none of them made any motion to ask or demand that she be moved to the shrine. Inuyasha couldn't be more grateful. Sure that meant he was sharing a room with his insufferable brother but for her he was sure he could put up with anything.

XXX

Inuyasha looked up when he smelled a familiar, warming scent drift into the classroom. He took a quick sneaky glance at Kikyo, to find her pale face pale even more and her usual stoic expression give way to a much more terrified, startled look.

"Ah, welcome, you must be the new girl?" their teacher said warmly, "Please introduce yourself to our class."

The girl shyly walked to the front of the class. Looking around, she saw no other familiar faces than two. Of course, she'd been tutoring an idiot in classes that were a year in advance of her age. Smiling widely, she took a breath.

"Hi! My name is Kagome Higurashi, I live at the Higurashi shrine and I'm looking forward to spending the rest of the year with you!"

La Fin

* * *

_"You are never given a wish without being given the power to make it come true" _from the book "Bridge Across Forever" (By Richard Bach)

* * *

A/N: ok, its done! Lol, not really, I'm actually writing this chapter before writing the three chapters that are going to come before it! Lol, but that's just cuz I got that random idea for how to end it and didn't wanna forget. Ok, to explain, jewel needs pure wish, the key is love and Inuyasha is the object. Kagome's job as in she was born to purify the jewel. She's midoriko's reincarnate in this fic. Yes, buyo is Kirara just cuz I didn't know wut else to do and I was just being random… lol, and I know this is really short but honestly, in my opinion its DONE! Sequel? I think not but I guess it depends on how well this story does… but I still think not cuz I actually have a new story in mind AND I really needa do something bout my other one cuz its STAGNANT and it sucks! Lol, I was rereading it and realized, IT SUCKS! Oh well, lol… 

Anyways, like the story? No like? I'm thinking maybe an epilogue since one of my few reviewers had asked about something I hadn't intended to answer… so… epilogue?

Oh, and if u notice the poll thing on my profile, look at the story idea list and say which one u'd like to read most and maybe after I get my lazy butt moving I might start it the Chinese foot binding one I've started playing with already, el dorado barely typed anything but the idea is a fascinating one, phantom of the opera I wrote already then deleted and now wanna write again… other ideas and requests are welcome, tho please understand I hold to right of choice not to be rude or anything I just do cuz I do.

Yeah, well, thanx for bearing through w/this, you are a brave bunch of ppl to have made it this far and I commend you. I'm glad the story finally took off by the 4th Chappie, it was kinda sad and almost discouraging when nobody was reviewing TT.TT so I took comfort in the hits counter XD lol, w/e I should just view it as a challenge to improve right?

Yeah, its just that if u peek at my JALLS story, I'm like on my knees begging for reviews and I got em, but those made me rush to finish more chappies which ultimately had consequences for my skool work and the quality of the story went down so now I gotta fix it TT.TT lol

Ok, thanx again and till next time

KITTY!

meow!


	7. Epilogue

Disclaimer: no own inuyasha

A/N: here it is! ok, i'd like u all to take a moment and think about all the philisophical (if any), spiritual (if any), plot sequence (if any) and detail (if any) questions that i fail to wrap up with last and this chapter and to tell me wut they are so i can fix it, please and thank you!

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Almost Tangible 

By Kitty

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_There is only one true miracle in this world. It is a miracle that defies life and death, rhyme and reason. Let this miracle bathe you, let it wash away all past sins. Let it bring you closer, to your beloved, to your friends, to your foes, to family and strangers, allies and enemies. Love is unity. Love is magic. Love is life._

Epilogue: Miracle

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"Kagome get your rear over here!" a very aggravated hanyou screamed, face red and temper flaring. The girl in question giggled hysterically, racing away from her pursuer as fast as her slim legs could carry her, which was pretty darn fast. 

Heads turned as confused eyes watched perplexed as the smiling, sunny, perfectly normal human girl laughed and danced away from the dark, scary, half demon.

"That's that girl, the one who came back from the dead," voices whispered from behind muted palms.

"Well, she sure doesn't seem dead anymore," answered other voices.

"Isn't she a shrine girl?"

"Yeah, I heard she's cousins with Kikyou."

"That cold bitch?"

"Yep, Kagome-chan sure isn't cold though is she?"

"No, definitely not, but why hang around Inuyasha?"

"Beats me, Kagome's just too kind hearted and innocent I guess."

"She shouldn't hang around him too much though."

"I agree, you never know with demons."

"Yeah."

Inuyasha stopped his pursuit of Kagome as he heard those whispered voices. He glared at them, growl working its way up his throat. Nothing changed, not really. Miroku and Sango stayed by him, but they were ostracized for their friendly efforts. Kagome blended in easily with almost every crowd, her old friends reclaiming her. At first, he was pushed aside because of all the attention Kagome received by being the only person in history to be revived from the dead. Then it was because her friends glared him away. Within the first two weeks, he'd given up being friends with such an obviously coveted girl way out of his league.

But then, there she was. Always there, always beckoning, Kagome had a habit of coming into his life just as he was about to give up. She came in again, that day during lunch. He was busily berating Miroku for his inappropriate behavior when Kagome snuck up behind him and popped open a can of soda right behind his right ear.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, coming over to him, a worried expression on her face.

"Kagome!" a trio of girls cried, they looked at the pair with unsure eyes, "Come on!" obviously gesturing to the single seat left open at their table. Inuyasha's ears drooped slightly before turning to head back to his own table.

"I'll catch up with you guys later ok?" Kagome answered them, "Is Wackdonalds at four still on?"

After receiving an affirmative from her friends, Kagome happily turned back to Inuyasha and cheerily planted herself in his seat, lunch tray in hand.

"Howya doin'?" Kagome asked Miroku. Receiving an equally cheerful answer, Kagome turned to Sango, "Hi, I guess this is the first real time we're meeting, I'm Kagome!"

Sango, surprised at first at the openness of this human girl stuttered a little before answering, "Uh... hsello, I'm Sango."

"So, how is everybody? I haven't really had a chance to really say 'hi' to you guys since I came back," Kagome chattered away, digging into the day's mystery meal, scrunching her nose and giggling with Sango. It was so natural. Inuyasha watched her, unsure how to act. They were no longer within the confines of the mansion where they could interact freely. Yet somehow it seemed the difference was lost to Kagome.

"What do you think Inuyasha? You've got the best nose," Kagome asked, her tone not changing in the least.

"Huh?" Inuyasha answered intelligently, scrabbling for the question he'd missed.

"What is this stuff?" Kagome asked, gesturing to her lunch of pale lumpy potatoes. Her eyes caught him. It was always like that. Her eyes would catch hold of his soul and his barriers would crumble at the bat of an eyelash. Obligingly, he ventured a sniff, and then scrunched his own nose nauseated grimace.

"You don't want to know," he said, watching in amusement as Kagome's face turned a slight shade of green, her sky blue eyes widening with apprehensiveness. Inuyasha, lips tightened in order to hide his grin, handed Kagome half of his own lunch, which she accepted with little ceremony, just a grateful smile and caring gaze that lingered a little longer than was needed.

"Hey, we need to get together sometime!" Kagome said, sweeping her bubbly gaze around the table. Miroku and Sango smiled, Inuyasha hid his eyes beneath his bangs.

"Wanna join me and my friends at Wackdonalds this afternoon?" Kagome asked, "I'd like you to meet them."

Sango cast a sidelong glance at Inuyasha and Miroku's eyes glazed slightly, knowing the hesitance and the reason behind it from his friends.

"I believe I'd love to take you up of that offer, I don't believe either Sango or Inuyasha have any prior obligations at that time," Miroku said smoothly.

Sango jumped to attention, "I'd be happy to."

"And what about you, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked softly, her crystal blue eyes shining with a knowing look. She wasn't a fool, the demon realized, she understood the social status she was placing herself in and the possible conflict she would be combating.

So against all common sense and better judgment, Inuyasha replied, "Sure."

XXX

The hairs on Inuyasha's neck were rigid and upright. So against anything normal, this occasion was quickly using up all the reserves of fragile control Inuyasha had ever built up over the course of his life in order to keep from fleeing the scene.

"It's over this way!" Kagome chattered excitedly, grasping Inuyasha's deadly hand and heading down the sidewalk, Miroku and Sango struggling to keep up.

Inuyasha felt trapped, small and helpless. He glared off the curious and disapproving looks he received from humans and demons alike making use of the road and pathway. What was he doing here? He shouldn't be here, he should be at home, alone, like the hermit society forced him to be. What was she doing with him? She shouldn't be seen with such an abomination. She should be surrounded by her friends, humans, away from the contamination of his blood. A gentle squeeze on his digits awakened him back into reality.

Kagome gazed at him steadily as they waited for the traffic light to change. Sango and Miroku were in their own argument and Inuyasha took the rare moment of peace to search her blue stare. Understanding, a strange, comforting look that knew his inner conflict gazed back at him. Worry, a soothing, nurturing concern that wanted to wipe his pain away embalmed him. And something else.

"Come on guys! Stop bickering!" Kagome shouted over the noise and headed into the street. Sango gave Miroku a solid smack before hmphing away towards Kagome.

XXX

As they entered Wackdonalds, Inuyasha felt his muscles twitch. Only the firm hold on his hand kept him from running away. 'Coward,' he thought to himself.

"Kagome! Over here!" A slight girl called from a table laden with burgers.

"Hey, Eri!" Kagome called back, heading towards the table, very nearly forced to drag Inuyasha along with her.

Sango forced her nervousness down and stalked next to Kagome while Miroku clenched his fists, firmly resolving to behave before moving forward. Inuyasha, well, was as well can only be expected, a giant, fluffy bundle of nerves.

"Eri, Ayame, Yuki," Kagome introduced, pointing out each girl as she went, "meet Miroku, Sango and Inuyasha!"

"Hey, hi, yo," the three girls answered, a little stiffly.

"Well," Kagome said brightly, glancing around the faces, "What are we waiting for? Dig in!"

Miroku needed no further invitation, promptly seating himself next to Yuki, who shifted away from his hands, giving him a glare that spoke volumes. Miroku glanced innocently up, noticing Sango giving him an equal stare. Sango and Yuki glanced at each other, coldness turning into one of understanding before finally cracking into friendly smiles. Sango moved to sit across from Yuki. Eri squeezed next to Yuki and Ayame snagged two more chairs for the remainder. Kagome was talking to Ayame, deciding to accompany her on the quest for one last chair.

"So," Inuyasha snapped to attention at the sound, "Kagome said you guys moved into her old mansion, that's how you two met?"

"Uh… yeah," Inuyasha said nervously.

Eri's lips tightened as an eyebrow shot up. Inuyasha shifted again, he didn't like that expression on her face. The girl leaned towards him, eyes narrow and look suspicious. Miroku and Sango both sent him a worried look while Inuyasha worked on making sure his breathing came out normally.

"So… what dirt can you tell me bout her?"

"Eh!" Inuyasha was startled, weren't they friends? What's with such a malicious sounding request?

Eri sighed and propped herself up onto her elbows, arms free to elucidate.

"She caught me and my boyfriend making out after sneaking out of the house, got in on camera and won't let me live it down," Eri explained.

"Oh yeah!" Yuki joined in, "I remember Kagome was always getting you to do her favors when it was her turn to clean up the classroom."

"I know!" Eri complained, "I need blackmail material!"

"The sweet and innocent Kagome? Blackmailing? Unperceivable," Miroku exclaimed.

The girls rounded on him. "Sweet, yes," Yuki said.

"Innocent, more than you'll ever know," Eri chimed.

"But I'll have you know, blackmailing is most certainly NOT below me," a voice behind them all chirped brightly.

"I trust you all had a nice and friendly conversation while Ayame and I were away?" Kagome asked innocently, triumphantly producing a chair from behind her.

"Yeah, we were good!" Yuki said babyishly. Kagome laughed.

"Good girl," she said, patting Yuki's head.

Kagome pulled her chair up next to Inuyasha's and plopped down into it, swiping Eri's soda up and taking a quick refresher. Eri rolled her eyes and stole a fry.

"So, what's this about blackmailing?" Kagome asked.

"Oh, I was just trying to see if your boyfriend had any bad and dirty stories to tell about you."

Kagome snorted into the soda, giving herself a nose full of fizz while Inuyasha sputtered, "B-b-boyfriend!"

The table got a good laugh out of that one at Kagome's and Inuyasha's expense. The two people in question played identical impressions of tomatoes.

The conversation smoothed out, with mostly Kagome and her friends catching up and telling Miroku and Sango wild stories about all the mischievous adventures four teenage girls could get into. Attention off of him, Inuyasha calmed down a lot, listening and enjoying the livid episodes Kagome and her friends managed to get into.

"So, are you and Kagome close?" Ayame asked while the rest of the table were in raptures from Eri's latest fling.

Inuyasha jumped from the sudden attention but collected himself enough to answer appropriately, "Not really, just acquaintances."

Ayame smiled, "I don't think Kagome considers you 'just acquaintances…"

"Huh?" Inuyasha said, "But… she's human and I'm half demon."

"Kagome's never been one to bother with that sort of thing. I'm poor and she's rich, we're still good friends. Yuki's very superficial while Kagome hates a lot of the things Yuki pines about; they're still amazing shopping buddies, especially when Kagome decides to treat. Eri's the most boy-crazy girl in the school while Kagome's never looked at a boy twice that I know of, they still gossip all night long about couples and crushes."

"Uh…" Inuyasha racked his brain for a reply.

"Kagome actually hooked Yuki up with a wolf demon once, Kouga I think," Ayame started.

"Oh my god! Don't even go there!" Yuki cried loudly.

Kagome sat back in her chair sniggering, "Why not? You two were really cozy until your parents found out."

"Yeah, I wish my mom wasn't so anal about the whole demons and humans thing."

"Ha ha, remember when he kept trying to bring you flowers?" Eri said gleefully.

"The poor guy!" Yuki cried, "My mother actually threw them back into his face!"

"Wow…" Sango said, nearly appalled, "That's terrible!"

"Yeah, but the worst part about it was when he offered to walk me home after we broke up," Yuki said, smiling, but very grimly. Inuyasha was surprised, 'this human LIKED the wolf demon?'

"I remember you telling us about that!" Ayame said.

"What happened, Yuki-san?" Miroku prodded.

"Uh… my mom…" Yuki chewed on her words a bit, "fell out of a tree in the park we … uh… detoured in."

The poor girl was blushing a deep fuchsia. Sango reached over to pat the girl's shoulder in sympathy while Miroku gaped, "Your mother was spying on you!"

"Old habits and tradition run pretty deep," Sango said, rousing unanimous agreement all around.

XXX

Inuyasha was surprised to be approached after gym class the next day.

"Hey, Dog Boy!"

Sighing, Inuyasha continued walking, not willing to trade in his rather perky mood for a sullen one that tended to accompany a vocal beating.

"Oi! Wait up, are you dating the Higurashi girl?"

That snapped him to attention. Inuyasha stopped so suddenly that the boy running after collided into his back. Inuyasha didn't even flinch.

"Whoa, man, you'd be a good American football player," the kid muttered, then spoke up, "Are you dating Higurashi?"

"What would give you that idea?" Inuyasha asked defensively.

"Well… you know Ayame, right?" Inuyasha nodded. "Um, well, one of my friends wants to send her a note but both him and I don't see her at all during school-"

"You want me to play messenger?" Inuyasha stated, the question hardly a question at all.

"Uh… yeah," the boy said, reaching into his shirt to pull out a small note. He handed him two slips of paper.

"You know, when I first met you, you were really scary," the kid admitted, "But then I met this other guy like you and, I don't know, everything changed. The second piece of paper is his address, d'you think you could go over and knock some sense into him? After he nearly died three years ago, he's refused to come out almost ever."

Inuyasha watched the guy go, confusion and curiosity whirring in him mind. Carefully sniffing the two papers Inuyasha's head spun again. A DEMON was head over heels for a human? And asking a HANYOU for help? This was just too weird…

The second slip of paper held a scent he found vaguely familiar. "Jinenji…" he breathed. He remembered the guy. Quite the big oaf if you asked him, 'though…' Inuyasha thought, 'he does have it a ton worse than me…'

XXX

Inuyasha walked down the hallway towards Kagome's locker. Girls passed him, for once not shrinking away and boys nodded as they walked bys. Since when was he cured of his leprosy? Inuyasha stopped dead upon hearing voices drift to his ears.

"Kagome really likes that guy…"

"Yeah, half-demon, wow, I'd be terrified."

"Well, with her, he doesn't seem so dangerous."

"But he glares!"

"Well… then again we do too…"

"Heh, that's true."

"I don't know, she's going through awfully long lengths to try to get him to fit in."

"Well, he's not so scary once you get to know him a little; I think it's just that he's so quiet."

"How on earth do you think he's quiet? Haven't you ever heard him arguing with Kagome?"

"Hee hee, yeah, those two get into awfully funny arguments!"

"The last one was about braiding that hair of his."

"Oh yeah!"

"I wish i had hair like that!"

"Haha, you'd need a demonic blood transfusion."

"Um... I think I'll just settle for getting a demon boyfriend with lots of hair..."

"I hope you have spiritual powers then!"

The whispering fell silent as the girls passed him, but they only acknowledged him, no glares, no fear. He tentatively offered a nod which was immediately reciprocated. Hmm… that's very interesting.

"It seems you are getting popular."

Inuyasha whipped around to see Kikyou staring at him.

"I'm impressed; the girl's actions alone are changing the entire school's opinion of you."

Kikyou walked away, without waiting for a reply, leaving Inuyasha dazed in the hallway.

"Kikyou!" Kagome cried in delight, "Hey! Long time no see!"

"So it seems," Kikyou replied, not so encouragingly.

"Oh! I'm having an end of the year party in two weeks, Saturday, at my place, you're welcome to come! I'm inviting Hojo, too," Kagome winked.

"I assume you also invited the demon population?" Kikyou asked, her face perfectly still.

"Only the non-human-eating ones," Kagome responded with a giggle, her face tilting to one side, her chin ducked with silly embarrassed glee at Kikyou's raised eyebrow.

Kikyou sighed, "You're the same as you've always been." The somber twin walked away, for once, not leaving a hurt girl in her wake.

"Hey Inuyasha! What's up?"

XXX

Kagome and Inuyasha walked happily home, arguing again.

"I think you should let me play with your hair, it's just begging to be braided!"

"Feh! No way, ain't nobody's touching my hair!"

"Double negatives equal positive! I get to play with your hair! Yay!"

"What!"

They didn't notice the silent presence watching their bickering.

_Thank you, young ones. I am forever in your debt. _

Then it disappeared, the part of her soul held captive in the jewel finally allowed to rest in peace within the loving heart of a very special girl. For the key to the jewel was never purity. The key was never power. It was never selflessness or good will. It was a wish made with love. A wish for both halves, both sibling races, to learn the forgiveness, the caring and the miracle encompassing the simple emotion. Love, the single most everlasting promise a soul can make. Love, the only truth that binds the world together in unity and peace.

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A/N: so... how is it? did i wrap it up alright or is this a sad pathetic excuse of an ending? i dont intend for there to be a sequel but i may take this down and alter it depending on if i need to explain more things or not so ask me all the detail questions u can think of that arent answered and i'll decide if i want them answered or not XD lol, yup, thanx for bearing thru this again and have a spiffy rest of your day, evening, or existence

Kitty


	8. Xtra Chapter: Kikyou

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

A/N: Here, I am ATTEMPTING to get inside kikyou's head. And pure chaos resulted. Notice the word ATTEMPT. I failed miserably, but I want to post this anyway. … its so bad! TT.TT ok, since it's likely not going to make ANY sense what so ever, here's wut I was trying to convey:

First: Kikyou is extremely lonely. You know, like completely alone and that's wut's really her problem. She never opened up to people and she's always pushed them away. Ppl think she's snobby and creepy. But that's because she never talks, her voice is always monotone and her eyes never seem to change, sometimes I swear she doesn't even blink.

Second: Kikyou is jealous. She's really jealous of Kagome because when you live with someone who constantly gets everything you want, and ppl hate you while they love that other person, you start to wonder what's wrong with you, and your self esteem goes flying out the window. Then you get jealous. And jealousy and hurt and loneliness is a scary combination

Third: Kikyou is in love. No, not with Inuyasha, with someone else whose name I will not disclose right now. But anyway, when a girl's in love, she is also confused, especially if it's her first time in love. So Kikyou becomes friends with Inuyasha and eventually acts like a lover because her feelings needed a way out. Remember the equation: loneliness + jealousy + hurt + fear + love + confusion:TROUBLE

Fourth: Kikyou is Kikyou. She needs to learn to be happy with herself. She's looking for happiness in the wrong places, in other people, in miko training, in power. When she finds nothing, she becomes depressed. All these problems just culminate until she reaches her breaking point where she can't handle it anymore

Fifth: Kikyou is afraid. She's afraid of being left behind, and being alone. She desperately wants someone to take her by the hand and to be with her and to light up her life. When Inuyasha makes, or rather is stuck with, new friends, Kikyou feels like she's being left behind, and she's afraid he'll not want to be with her anymore, and the thought of losing her one friend was too much, so she threw him away, thinking that maybe it wouldn't hurts as much, she was wrong.

Now putting it all together: loneliness + jealousy + hurt + fear + love + confusion + depression:TROUBLE Kikyou's mind couldn't handle it all and so it kinda gave up. Right now, Kikyou's just a human shell with no real inside because her soul is dead on the inside. The laughing deal was just that, when people laugh, it usually is because something is funny or their happy, but also, people laugh out of fear, sadness etc. really, don't think I'm crazy. The strain on a person's body caused by negative emotions can get too built up and there has to be a way to release those tensions. Some people cry, some lose their temper, Kikyou laughs.

Ok, now that I have completely lost you, continue on with the confusing hodge podge of mumbo jumbo below…

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Almost Tangible

By Kitty

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_Here I lie in this darkest of nights. Here I am in the blackest of shadows. I was supposed to be the pure one. I was meant to be the saint. But all has fallen to darkness and I feel nothing but pain. And soon the nerves in my aching flesh will die, soon this blood will slowly dry, and I will numb to it all. I wonder what happens to the sun when it sleeps. I wonder if it ever has nightmares. I wonder who will be the light to wake it up in time for a new day. Who will be the light to rekindle my flame?

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_

Chappie 4: To Rekindle the Flame

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It was the same routine. Sit through school in a corner and be invisible, practice archery right afterwards, and finish homework while telling Mother she wasn't hungry. Kikyou notched another arrow to her bow and let fly. This was her life. It was monotonous, and lonely and cold.

As her eyes became dull, her mind drifted away. Not even the blunt thunk of the arrow meeting the center of the target roused her from her stupor of memories buzzing about inside her shadowed mind.

xxx

When Kikyo was four, she took up miko training with the local shrine priestess, Keade. Her parents had always stressed a need to be professional, so Kikyo stood tall, and isolated, learning miko and looking down on her classmates. They were always too immature. Especially Kagome. She would jump on Kikyo's bed to wake her up on Christmas morning, even though the family didn't celebrate, and stuff alien shaped, handmade toys into the older girl's face. Kikyo would always accept them with good grace and tell Kagome to scamper off to search for her present. Kikyo had hoped that miko training would get her classmates to be interested in her, and talk to her. She would purposefully bring her bow and arrows to class in hopes of someone asking her about them. They would, some of the time, but conversation would always die down and she would be alone again. One day, she would be a great miko and everyone would be treating her differently.

XXX

It was a bright summer day, Kagome, now eight, excitedly swung her feet to and fro on the airplane seat. This would be the first time in a long time in which she would see her family. She heard that she'd get to meet her new younger brother, and now that she was older, ride a real rollercoaster. Kikyo sat with her.

"I can't wait! Kikyo, do you know where babies come from?"

The older girl turned her head slowly and smiled a muted, but warm smile, "No, I don't, do you?"

"Uh huh!" Kagome chirped, "They come from heaven! And a giant stork comes down to give them to a mommy and daddy!"

Kikyo smiled. Envy was often the emotion she felt when she saw Kagome. Kagome was bright, in more ways than one, and naturally attracted people to her. Kikyo, on the other hand, though possessing a more elegant appearance, was cold and reserved, often pushing others away. It was lonely, but she told herself often that as a miko, she must be this way in order to better protect those around her. Her parents told her that many times. Be calm and collected and you'll win every battle you face. Despite all that, the one battle she can never seem to win is that dark corner of her mind that cried out for someone to embrace.

XXX

Brown eyes watched the younger girl dance among friends. Jealousy slowly turned to hate as she watched Kagome laugh happily. She saw the way the boys watched her, the way girls laughed with her. They looked nearly identical, Kikyo was even prettier that Kagome, and yet other people drew away from Kikyo like she was poisonous while Kagome was a flower among bees. Even HE watched her. Kikyo resigned herself to being the wallflower, taking a seat near a young boy about her age. They sat there for a little while before he spoke up.

"Don't force yourself."

XXX

What's the difference?! They grew up together, looked like each other, and played with one another. How is it that she ended up in the light while Kikyo stayed in the shadows? She couldn't stand it anymore. She wanted Kagome gone!

"What's come over me?" Kikyo muttered to herself. It must have been because those two new students that suddenly became friendly with him. Yes, that must be it. Now Kikyo was even more alone that ever and was watching Kagome in screen tones of green and red.

Kikyo tried to sooth her ragged soul. Flipping on the television, she heard only the first few sentences:

"Funny how quickly love turns to hate, and jealousy becomes murder."

"Yes, but any action committed through desperation, in haste, or out of fear is often regretted."

"I've come to see that now, I no longer need him; he's my crutch. With him, I'll be alone forever. I have to break it now. My leg's been healed."

XXX

"Kikyo!" Kagome called, searching the hallways for her missing cousin. She'd been more distant lately, and more mysterious. "Kikyo! Where are you?"

"I'm right here Kagome, what is it you want?" Kikyo said softly, her monotone voice devoid of emotion.

"Oh! Hi Kikyo!" Kagome greeted, "Sorry, I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to join me and my friends to Wackdonalds. We're going to be shopping afterwards too."

Kikyo smiled, "No thank you, I will be on my way to meet someone."

Kagome raised an eyebrow, "This someone wouldn't happen to be a boy would he?"

Kikyo's eyes narrowed a little in a far off droop and a slow smile crept across her face. Kagome's grin stretched from ear to ear, "Oh Kikyo! Why didn't you tell me? Or anyone else? Who is he?"

"It does not matter. It will all be ending tonight," Kikyo said evenly, Kagome 'oh-ed'.

"Um… well, if you want to talk about it, I'll be here ok?" Kagome said, taking Kikyo's cold hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. The younger girl got up and walked away, turning back again with worried eyes, then continuing on her path.

Kikyo smiled again, "It will all be ending tonight, because any action made in desperation, haste, or fear will always come to be regretted. For, when a broken limb heals the cast is no longer needed, and thrown away. He is healing, but I refused to be the crutch; I will not be tossed aside. I will be the one to throw him away, he must not, or else I'll shatter to pieces."

XXX

Kikyou watched Kagome's ashes slowly disappear into the warm earth. What was this strange feeling in her gut? It rose upward from her churning stomach and gnawed behind her eyes. It hurt. She didn't want it. It was confusion, pain, grief and guilt. The guilt. The strong stabbing guilt that jarred her ribcage open. It was hurt, a listless, throbbing hurt that confused her numb mind. It was loss, an empty, cold, bone chilling feeling of loss, the loss of her brighter half, the loss of a sister. And despite all these morbid feelings, she felt like laughing. She felt giggles clawing up her throat and threatened to strangle her. She felt chuckling, hallow chortles that drained her lungs of air, of life. Oh! The irony of life! Kagome wasn't dead, she was. Inside, deep inside of her, a small sputtering flame flaring in a melting, inky cave that was her rotting heart, Kikyou died.

XXX

He was her love. He was her hate. He was her obsession, her fantasy, her nightmare. She could see him bleeding, could see his shattered heart whose blood stained her own hand. She'd done this to him. She alone caused the blankness in his eyes, the hunched shoulders, the hatred. It was her doing. And the numb mask he wore only served to harden the world of ice around her heart.

But something was healing him. She could see that too. It wasn't the boy, or the girl, that incessantly and stubbornly clung to his cold-shouldered friendship, but something else which she could not see. She could see only a light growing in his hardened eyes that melted away the walls he'd built within his heart. It was the light she'd seen in others. But the light, she remembered, was strongest in her cousin's shining blue eyes. But that light was gone now, and now, she lived in a world of eternal darkness, groping for the shine inside another's warm brown eyes. But how could such a blessing be bestowed upon one who bears such an unforgivable sin?

XXX

What was in his smile that causes her heart to stir? There was understanding in his honey brown eyes. Each time she saw him, her silent heart gave a painful thump. That beat always reminds her of what she'll never have, the things she'll never achieve. Joy, love, sunshine, peace, things his eyes promise and his lips offer. For him, she would overcome death, over come pain, sorrow, and fear.

Walls crumble and her mind screams in defiance to the longings of her heart. The darkness was her comfort; the silence was her saint, the cold, her shelter that robbed her from feeling pain. Yet like the moth to the flame she flutters closer, afraid of the burn yet longing for the warm that flicking light can bring.

xxx

"Oh, hello! I'm sorry, I didn't realize someone was still here!"

Kikyou turned around to see who'd intruded upon her thoughts. When she saw, her flame sputtered back to life.

He smiled pleasantly, heedless of her withdrawn features. Softly he padded up to her, his form lithe and supple, lax, carefree. Kikyou's body remained frozen, her arms held out the curved bow, an arrow still notched upon her straightened finger.

His mouth moved, chocolate eyes bright with life. Her heart jerked, began to labor at an unforgiving pace.

She was dark, stained, tainted. A mortal with a soul so ragged the merest of winds could shatter her frame. Yet here was the summer breeze, confronting her, teasing her, jesting of scenes and gifts that she could never achieve.

How can he speak so easily? His voice calm, rumbling a creamy tenor in his throat. Cheerful, sunny, a flame her grey moth wings danced about in a dangerous vicinity.

Don't tease, a vicious dog with a starved belly will leap and devour with vengeful energy at the sight of meat. Don't prod, a volatile mixture toyed with by the candle with consume all existence of either being. End this cruel punishment, don't tear at my heart any longer. I've tried to learn how to sew, to mend the pieces that were never quite attached at birth. I've tried to grow strong, please don't topple this tower of cards, the mask of composure, this act of indifference. Stop this, a dead heart was never meant to beat again. The pain is too much to overcome. All actions made in desperation, in fear or rage will always come to be regretted.

"You really should take better care of yourself, you look like a ghost."

There was a clamoring in her ears, a tremor in her chest. Muscles clenched, tendons tensed, movement burst from the frozen ice as the flames inside burst to vengeful life.

The dull thud rang louder throughout the room than any sound a breathing creature could make. A tear above his shoulder. Just a small tear. I didn't hit him. My god, I almost hit him.

He's stopped talking now, voice silenced by the brief attack. She's done it now, surrendered, the explosion from her corrosive interior effectively snuffing out any fuel that might have started living fire. It was done. Death was complete. Over.

"Don't toy with me," she said, her wavering voice holding more poison with the kiss of a black adder. His brown eyes astonished and frightened. The innocent rabbit frozen before the famished wolf.

"Don't tempt me, don't tease me, there's nothing in your words that can save me!"

Breathing, panting, harsh exhalations burned through her invigorated body. She stood, strong, hard, stone amongst the flowers, frozen despite the fire that burned next to her, that taunted her, but never welcomed her.

"I thought I'd never hear your voice," he said to her, "It really is beautiful."

Torn, bleeding, a gash ripped across her chest and millions of hands tore into her stained core all trying to squeeze a fist around her dying heart. Killing her but refusing to let her die. Why is this torment reserved only for her? What was he saying? His words bewildered her, rang in her head and flooded her senses.

"You always sounded so far away before, like it wasn't your voice speaking." He watched her, afraid of scaring her off, yet wishing to reach out and touch her. There was always something beneath the surface about her. Like a great mystery that teased him. He always felt inside her some great anguish he wanted to sooth inside the iron mask of her pale face.

A clatter awoke her from her dream, her bow fell to the ground, her fingers trembled. Crying, but not allowing herself to cry, the tears overflowed inside her heart, their salt mixing in her blood and burning from her center to the ends of her body.

Again, his warm honey voice erupted in her mind, "You're very beautiful."

Cold melding with warmth, fire begetting water, hurricane raging in the calmness that was once her mind, she needed something steady to anchor her to the ground. Dry sobs, she hugged herself and knelt on the ground. Then his body was next to her, his arms encircled her. They didn't hold her tight, they just lightly touched.

"What do you want from me?" she said softly, her voice small and scared a child when all the rest is blown away.

Hojo shrugged his shoulders and gave her a gentle smile, "A date to the dance, I guess."

Kikyou exhaled sharply, a quick smiled briefly gracing her features. She gasped when his thumb ran a line down the corner of her lips to her cheeks. "You're beautiful," he whispered again.

Out of the darkness comes the moth to play and dance amidst the flames. Some burn, some die, and some merge into the flicker of light. The burn hurt, yet the light was warm.

* * *

"What is to give light must endure burning" Viktor Frankl

* * *

A/N: Short? Painfully. Confusing? DEFINITLY! I'm confusing myself… but anyway, if u skipped my above A/N please read that now. I tried to better explain wut I was trying to say up there. I don't blame u if you don't. in fact, I completely understand if you ignore this Chappie completely… I definitely would… XD

Um… yeah, so weird… I really wanna post this tho… well, I haven't edited this yet but I want feedback because I don't even know whats going on… I like the message I'm trying to get across but I didn't know how I wanted to do it, so please! I really need suggestions on how to clarify what on earth is going on in this!


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